Honda Auto Idle Stop Settlement: Approved, Claim Window Closed

At a glance

Status

Approved, awaiting payment

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 October 25, 2026

Key dates

Milestone	Date	What it means
Claim deadline	August 18, 2026(passed)	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:

Verify on the official site

www.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. The court granted final approval on May 20, 2026, and the deadline for claims on past out-of-pocket costs closed ninety days later, on August 18, 2026. A claim for a covered cost incurred in the future can still be filed within 60 days after that cost is incurred.

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 deadline for claims on past out-of-pocket costs 90 days later, on August 18, 2026, and that date has passed. Class members who filed a documented past-cost claim in time are now waiting on the administrator to review it.

A second claim track stays open. Under the court-approved class notice, claims for future out-of-pocket costs, such as towing after an AIS no-restart during the Warranty Period or Extended Claims Period that is not otherwise covered, must be submitted within 60 days after the cost is incurred. Starter replacement parts and labor from a shop other than an authorized Honda or Acura dealer after class notice are not eligible for reimbursement.

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. Both the opt-out deadline and the objection deadline have passed for every class member, so neither option is available now. The past-cost claim deadline was separate from both, and it closed on August 18, 2026.

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 three benefits. First, Honda is amending its AIS service bulletins (Acura Service Bulletin 22-009 for the TLX, Acura Service Bulletin 23-002 for the MDX, and Honda Service Bulletin 23-009 for the Passport, Pilot, and Ridgeline) to eliminate AIS symptom verification as a condition of the repair. If your covered vehicle has already received the AIS software update, a dealer cannot require that the AIS symptom be verified before a free starter replacement during the Warranty Period (the 10-year AIS warranty extension from the original date of purchase that Honda previously provided) or the Extended Claims Period.

Second, it reimburses out-of-pocket costs caused by the AIS no-restart defect, such as a starter or valve repair or a tow, which is available to every covered vehicle. Third, it adds an Extended Claims Period 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, you do not get that added window, but your vehicle keeps the existing 10-year AIS warranty extension and the removal of the symptom-verification requirement under this settlement.

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. The August 18, 2026 deadline for past out-of-pocket costs has passed, but a claim for a future out-of-pocket cost must be submitted within 60 days after that cost is incurred. That site is where claim forms, claim status, and any further notices appear. 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 action that sent more than $449,000 in refunds to 18,255 consumers harmed by a deceptive extended vehicle 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?

The deadline for claims on past out-of-pocket costs in the Honda Auto Idle Stop settlement was August 18, 2026, which was 90 days after the court granted final approval on May 20, 2026, and it has passed. Claims for future out-of-pocket costs, such as a tow after an AIS no-restart during the Warranty Period or Extended Claims Period that is not otherwise covered, must be submitted within 60 days after the cost is incurred.

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 out-of-pocket costs from the AIS no-restart defect, such as repairs or towing, for any covered vehicle. An added Extended Claims Period 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 that added period but keep the 10-year AIS warranty extension Honda previously provided. For covered vehicles that already received the AIS software update, dealers also cannot require AIS symptom verification before a free starter replacement during those coverage periods. 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. The August 18, 2026 deadline for past out-of-pocket costs has passed; claims for future out-of-pocket costs are due within 60 days after the cost is incurred. Filing is free, and RecordingLaw.com does not process claims.

Is the payment from this settlement taxable?

It depends on what the payment replaces. 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.