2023 Honda Passport

Powertrain

Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2023 Honda Passport have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 6 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “Problem started at 11,000 miles as very minor and has become progressively worse up to the now 32,000. Vehicle has been to dealerships 5 times with no repair performed. THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE: Hesitation and gear searching on acceleration. Intermittent acuity. 3 times I needed to accelerate quickly in order to merge with 40 mph traffic from a stop sign. I stepped on the throttle and the vehicle lurched into traffic then lost power and gear searched for 3 seconds creating a potentially very serious incident. Once the gear engaged, the vehicle took off at a high rate of acceleration and speed causing yet another unsafe condition and making me look like a maniac. THE OTHER SYMPTOMS: 1) Hard Starting, sometimes vehicle seems to sputter, sometimes it revs hard on startup 2) Vehicle sometimes enters some kind of error state similar to the vehicle not being in park when the engine is shut down. An audible alarm sounds, like when the lights are left on or a key is left in the car, and the vehicle refuses to lock the doors on its own as usual. Visual inspection by the driver reveals nothing appears to be wrong. Lights are off, no key left, vehicle is in park. Powering back on, checking park indicator and turning back off seems to reset this condition. 3) Inconsistent accelerator pedal input. Sometimes the vehicle goes much harder or seems to be held back by something at other times. 4) Erratic torque distribution for AWD. Viewed from dash torque distribution readout. AWD engages 100% at all wheels at times of very light throttle on dry pavement. 5) Engine just sounds terrible at idle and at times of hard acceleration. 6) Rough acceleration. Choppy gear shifts. 7) Vehicle continues to push forward under power when throttle is lifted and brakes are applied causing harder than usual brake pedal pressure to be necessary and inconsistent vehicle slowing. 8) No CEL is on. 9) Constant minor weaving due to inconsistent AWD torque delivery. PROBLEM IS ONGOING” (NHTSA Complaint #11725537)

Forward Collision System

Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2023 Honda Passport has 6 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “Was driving through highway construction site. One lane, jersey walls close on both sides. A lane shift was forced by the jersey walls and my vehicle slammed the brakes causing me to need to very accurately control steering during this unnecessary emergency braking situation. Cars behind me had no way to drive around or a shoulder for an out. Traffic was heavy, lucky that no accident occurred. Other less dramatic events have occurred with the auto braking as well. The front collision warning without auto-braking occurs on nearly every drive.” (NHTSA Complaint #11725541)

Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control,Engine

Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Honda Passport have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 4 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “my 2023 Honda passport is having shifting problems (high revs, slow nd unpredictable power to wheels)   harsh acceleration (not easy to safely /smoothly gauge power and speed from acceleration to wheel) high revs “stuck” –not shifting down smoothly/safely These issues are on going. I also researched and saw this has been reported b y other Honda Passport( 2023)  owners. I contacted dealer 10/16/25 to document the complaint and asked dealer to call me back if any service advisories or recalls, they said no, but a service advisor wuld contat me if they felt a follow up was needed.    Also, the vehicle had ‘catastrophic’ computer failure with power lost and warning lights within first 2 years –transmission lost power/engine still ran and forced into the breakdown lane and have vehicle towed.  . Dealer did some type of reset. VIN # 5FNYF8H59PB027063” (NHTSA Complaint #11693792)

Lane Departure,Forward Collision Avoidance

Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2023 Honda Passport has 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “On this day it was approximately 5:45AM my 2023 Honda Passport indicated to Brake in the dash then proceeded to snatch me into a curb at 50 MPH. I have since taken it back to the dealership where they can not diagnose the problem. I have contacted Honda Corp. which they haven’t been able to help. The dealership stated that they could not preform an alignment as my frame or suspension may be damaged or bent.” (NHTSA Complaint #11581670)

Unknown Or Other,Lane Departure

Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2023 Honda Passport has 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “The push button gearshifting. I have accidentally hit reverse about 100 times since I’ve owned this car in six months. It ended up in a rear end collision with a parked car. Then when I tried to drive forward, I backed up again. The first time was intentional backing and I didn’t see the car behind me… the second time I was attempting to drive forward and I hit the reverse button again. It was instinctual. I hit the car twice.” (NHTSA Complaint #11713498)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2023 Honda Passport

The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Honda Passport by the NHTSA or Honda. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Honda Passport:

• 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
• 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
• 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Honda to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Honda must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2023 Honda Passport qualifies as a lemon under California law, Honda may be legally required to:

• Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
• Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
• Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Honda pays all legal fees if you prevail
• Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Honda willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2023 Honda Passport Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Honda a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Honda dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Honda pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Honda a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2023 Honda Passport Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2023 Honda Passport as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Honda pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Honda is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2023 Honda Passport?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.