Honda Auto Idle Stop (AIS) Defect Settlement 2026
At a glance
- Status
- Closing soon
- Defendant
- American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
- Settlement fund
- Not publicly disclosed
- Claim deadline
- August 18, 2026
- No-proof cash option
- No
- Estimated payout
- reimbursement for documented past AIS No-Restart out-of-pocket costs (e.g. starter/valve repairs, towing) plus a warranty-coverage extension of 18-24 months depending on model/year
- Administrator
- JND Legal Administration
- Official site
- www.settlement-claims.com/autoidlestop
- Court
- United States District Court for the Central District of California
- Case number
- 2:22-cv-04252-MCS-SK
Last verified July 16, 2026
Key dates
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Claim deadline | August 18, 2026 | Last day to file for a payment |
| Opt-out (exclusion) deadline | September 12, 2025(passed) | Last day to leave the settlement and keep the right to sue |
| Objection deadline | None listed | Last day to object to the terms |
| Final approval hearing | None listed | When the judge decides whether to approve the settlement |
| Expected payout | Not yet scheduled | Payments are not sent until after final approval and any appeals |
Where to file
Honda Auto Idle Stop (AIS) Defect Settlement is administered by JND Legal Administration. The only place to file is the official settlement website:
File at the official sitewww.settlement-claims.com/autoidlestop
Filing is free. No legitimate settlement charges a fee to file a claim.
You cannot file on RecordingLaw.com. We are an independent publisher, not the settlement administrator, and we are not affiliated with any court, agency, or defendant.
Honda and Acura resolved a lawsuit over vehicles that can stall at a stop and refuse to restart because of a fuel-saving feature called Auto Idle Stop (AIS). If you own or lease one of the covered 2015 through 2021 model-year vehicles and experienced the AIS no-restart problem, you may be eligible for reimbursement of past repair costs and an extension of your warranty coverage. As of July 2026, the claim window is open, with a filing deadline of August 18, 2026.
What the Auto Idle Stop lawsuit was about
Many Honda and Acura models use Auto Idle Stop (AIS) to shut the engine off automatically each time the vehicle comes to a complete stop, then restart it the instant the driver eases off the brake, as a way to save fuel. The lawsuit, formally known as In re Honda Idle Stop Litigation (Bolooki v. American Honda), Case No. 2:22-cv-04252-MCS-SK, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleged that a defect in the AIS system can leave the engine off and unable to restart on its own, sometimes stranding the driver at an intersection or in traffic.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. denied wrongdoing but agreed to settle the case. Federal vehicle-safety regulators have separately opened an investigation into no-restart complaints tied to Auto Idle Stop in Honda and Acura vehicles, which shows the problem drew regulatory attention on its own, independent of this lawsuit.
Where the case stands right now
The court granted final approval to the settlement on May 20, 2026. That approval set the claim filing deadline, which falls 90 days later on August 18, 2026. As of July 2026, the claim window is open and closes within about a month, so anyone who believes they qualify should not wait to gather their documentation and file.
The deadline to exclude yourself from the settlement, known as opting out, worked on two tracks. For most class members, that deadline was September 12, 2025. A smaller group, owners and lessees of a 2020 Acura MDX who were not previously included in Honda's earlier market actions and who received class notice on or after February 23, 2026, had a later deadline of April 22, 2026. Opting out would have let a class member keep the right to sue American Honda separately over the same defect, but only at the cost of giving up any benefit from this settlement. Objecting is different from opting out: an objection stays inside the class and asks the judge to change or reject the deal as unfair, rather than leaving it, and it followed the same two-track schedule. As of July 2026, both the opt-out deadline and the objection deadline have passed for every class member, so neither option is available now. The claim deadline is separate from both and, as of July 2026, is still open.
Who is covered by the settlement
The settlement class covers owners and lessees of specific Honda and Acura vehicles built with the NP0 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and Auto Idle Stop, who experienced the AIS no-restart defect. The covered models and model years are:
- 2015-2020 Acura TLX
- 2016-2020 Acura MDX
- 2016-2021 Honda Pilot
- 2019-2021 Honda Passport
- 2020-2021 Honda Ridgeline
If your vehicle is one of these models within the listed model years and you experienced the AIS no-restart problem, you may be eligible for a benefit under this settlement. Honda and Acura models outside these model years, or without the NP0 engine and nine-speed transmission, are not part of this class.
How much you can realistically get
This is not a settlement that pays a flat dollar amount to everyone who files a claim. It provides two separate benefits: reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs a class member already paid because of the AIS no-restart defect, such as a starter or valve repair or a tow, which is available to every covered vehicle, and a separate extension of warranty coverage for the AIS system that reaches only two model years. A 2015 Acura TLX gets an extra 24 months of coverage, and a 2016 Acura TLX, Acura MDX, or Honda Pilot gets an extra 18 months. If you own a 2017-2021 TLX, MDX, or Pilot, or any Honda Passport or Ridgeline, your AIS warranty is not extended under this settlement; you can still seek reimbursement for a documented past repair, but there is no added coverage window going forward.
Reimbursement amounts depend on what a claimant actually paid and can document, not on a flat per-person figure, and any payout still depends on how the claims review and cost-approval process plays out. The settlement's public materials do not disclose a fixed total fund amount, so treat any specific dollar figure you see elsewhere for this case as an estimate, not a guarantee.
What proof you need to file
Because this is a reimbursement settlement rather than a flat, no-proof payout, documentation matters. That generally means a repair invoice, receipt, or towing bill showing the AIS no-restart problem caused the expense, tied to a covered vehicle. Without that paperwork, a reimbursement claim is unlikely to be paid; this settlement does not offer a self-certified, no-receipt payout tier.
If you no longer have the original paperwork, check with the dealership or repair shop that did the work. Many keep service records on file for years and can reprint an invoice or receipt on request.
How to file
Claims are filed only through the official settlement website operated by JND Legal Administration, the court-appointed claims administrator, never through RecordingLaw.com or any other third-party site. Filing directly with the administrator is free. If a website or caller asks you to pay a fee to "process" your Honda AIS claim, that is not the real settlement.
Watch for warranty-scam calls that use this settlement as cover
Because this settlement includes an extended-warranty benefit, it is a natural target for the "your car warranty is about to expire" robocalls the FTC has pursued for years, including a 2024 case that sent refunds to more than 449,000 consumers harmed by a fake extended-warranty telemarketer. A caller who references this settlement by name and then asks for a fee, your full Social Security number, or your bank account number to "activate" the warranty extension is not JND Legal Administration and not American Honda. Verify anything you are told against the official settlement site directly, not through a link or callback number a caller gives you.
Is a payment from this settlement taxable?
Whether a reimbursement or warranty benefit under this settlement counts as taxable income depends on what it replaces. Under IRS guidance, payments that reimburse property damage, such as the cost of a car repair, are generally treated differently than payments that replace lost wages or interest. This is not tax advice. If you receive a payment or a tax form connected to this settlement, talk to a tax professional about your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement about?
The Honda Auto Idle Stop (AIS) Defect Settlement resolves claims that certain Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with Auto Idle Stop can shut off at a stop and fail to restart on their own. It covers specific 2015-2021 model-year Acura TLX, Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Honda Passport, and Honda Ridgeline vehicles with the NP0 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission.
What is the deadline to file a claim in the Honda AIS settlement?
As of July 2026, the claim filing deadline for the Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement is August 18, 2026, which is 90 days after the court granted final approval on May 20, 2026.
Which Honda and Acura vehicles are covered?
The Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement covers 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016-2021 Honda Pilot, 2019-2021 Honda Passport, and 2020-2021 Honda Ridgeline vehicles built with the NP0 engine, nine-speed automatic transmission, and Auto Idle Stop that experienced the no-restart defect.
How much money will I get from the Honda AIS settlement?
There is no flat cash payout under this settlement. It reimburses documented past out-of-pocket costs from the AIS no-restart defect, such as repairs or towing, for any covered vehicle. A separate warranty extension applies only to a 2015 Acura TLX (an extra 24 months) and a 2016 Acura TLX, Acura MDX, or Honda Pilot (an extra 18 months); other covered vehicles do not get an extended warranty. Amounts are estimated and subject to what you can document and how the claims process is administered.
What documents do I need to submit a claim?
A reimbursement claim under the Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement needs supporting documentation, such as a repair invoice, receipt, or towing bill tied to the AIS no-restart problem on a covered vehicle. There is no no-proof, flat-payment option.
Can I still opt out of the Honda AIS settlement?
No. For most class members, the deadline to exclude yourself from the Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement was September 12, 2025. A smaller group of 2020 Acura MDX owners who received class notice on or after February 23, 2026 had a later deadline of April 22, 2026. Both dates have passed. Opting out would have preserved the right to sue separately, but at the cost of any benefit from this settlement; that option is no longer available for any class member.
Where do I actually file a claim?
Claims for the Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement are filed only through the official settlement website run by JND Legal Administration, the court-appointed claims administrator. Filing is free, and RecordingLaw.com does not process claims.
Is the payment from this settlement taxable?
It depends on what the payment replaces. As of July 2026, IRS guidance generally treats reimbursement for property damage, like a car repair, differently from payments that replace lost wages or interest. Consult a tax professional about your specific Honda AIS settlement payment.
Is this the same as a Honda safety recall?
No. The Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement is a class action resolution, not a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall. Federal regulators have separately opened an investigation into AIS no-restart complaints, but that investigation is independent of this settlement and does not change how or whether you file a claim here.
How to tell a settlement notice is real
Check the case name, case number, and court against the official settlement site. Go to that site directly instead of clicking a link in an email or text. Nobody legitimate will call, text, or email out of the blue asking for your Social Security number, bank account, or card details, and nobody will charge you to file. Report anyone who does at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Informational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not affiliated with any settlement.
RecordingLaw.com is an independent legal-information publisher. We are not a law firm, not a settlement administrator, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any court, government agency, defendant, or claims administrator described on this page. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
We do not process claims and we never collect your claim information. You cannot file a claim on RecordingLaw.com. To file, opt out, object, or check your status, use only the official settlement administrator identified above. We link to it for your convenience.
Filing a legitimate claim is free. No legitimate settlement or administrator will charge you a fee to file, or ask for your Social Security number, bank, or card details by unsolicited call, text, or email. If someone does, it is likely a scam. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Deadlines, amounts, and approval status change and are set by the court. We verify against the official administrator and court records, but confirm the current details on the official site before acting. Nothing here guarantees eligibility, a payment, or any amount. Settlement payments may be taxable. See IRS Publication 4345. and consult a tax professional. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources and References
- Honda Auto Idle Stop (AIS) Defect Settlement, official settlement website (JND Legal Administration)(settlement-claims.com)
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Investigation EA25004 resume(static.nhtsa.gov).gov
- IRS Publication 4345, Settlements, Taxability(irs.gov).gov
- FTC press release: refunds sent to consumers harmed by an extended vehicle warranty scam(ftc.gov).gov