A Honda East Liberty (Ohio) Auto Plant robot sprays a base coat of paint on a vehicle body Photo by Honda

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The lawsuit, led by attorney David Assor at the Montreal-based Lex Group law firm, seeks remedies, compensation, and punitive damages for all persons in Quebec who have purchased, leased, or owned a Honda or Acura vehicle from the list below, of any model year between 2013 to 2026, delivered in White Diamond Pearl, Taffeta White, White Orchid Pearl/Bellanova White, or Platinum White Pearl.

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Note that similar class-action lawsuits against Honda have already been filed in North America, particularly in British Columbia (Sunita Rani Sharma v. Honda) and in California.

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The lawsuit alleges a defect in the white paint applied at the factory is causing the exterior paint to peel, blister, and delaminate prematurely. Beyond the aesthetic impact, the flaking, argues the suit, “exposes… the bodywork to moisture, salt, and an increased risk of rust and premature corrosion,” and may eventually lead to structural damage. Therefore, it says, the defect affects not only the vehicles’ appearance, but their function, safety, and usability, not to mention long-term value.

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Above all, Assor notes that Honda has been aware of this “systemic” problem for years. In 2019, for example, the automaker issued service bulletins for certain models “whose paint on the roof, tailgate, hood, doors, and body panels could peel over time due to a flaw in the manufacturing process.”

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To address the issue, Honda Canada offered extended warranties to its customers (seven years for affected Honda vehicles; and eight years for affected Acura models). It should be noted that these warranties have now expired, or are about to do so.

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The Lex Group argues this approach is clearly insufficient; it peppers its motion to authorize the class-action with allegations of “bad faith,” “reprehensible, malicious, and outrageous conduct,” and “false or misleading representations.”

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The class-action lawsuit filed August 6, 2026  in Quebec courts has left demanderesse Ms. L.M., a Montreal resident, with an unpleasant sense of déjà vu. Twenty years ago, Ms. L.M. purchased a new black Honda Civic, and, like some of the nearly 80,000 other Civics (and 24,000 Acura CSXs) sold in Quebec at the time, her car quickly developed a paint problem. (Note that all colours were affected, essentially because a problematic clear coating was “whitening.”)

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In February 2019, the Superior Court of Quebec authorized a class-action lawsuit; and three years later, the Daunais v. Honda Canada case concluded with a settlement agreement awarding nearly $27 million to owners and lessees of 2006 to 2013 Honda Civics, and 2006 to 2011 Acura CSXs.

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But when Ms. L.M. decided to trade in her black Civic for a new vehicle in April 2016, it was years before the lawsuit had been filed. Having learned her lesson, she specifically asked her sales representative whether the Honda HR-V in White Orchid Pearl—the model she had set her sights on—was likely to have the same paint problem.

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“The sales representative replied in the negative and assured the plaintiff that Honda had resolved the paint issue, and that the Honda HR-V and newer Honda models would not be affected by it,” state the legal documents. Nevertheless, the dealership offered her a sealant designed to protect the paint, which she purchased for $390 plus tax.

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However, in May of 2026, the first instance of paint chipping appeared on the trunk and the top of a door of her Honda HR-V. A body shop estimated the cost of repainting the vehicle would be $3,073. Honda Canada refused to cover the full cost, offering instead $1,250 “in exchange for a full and final release.”

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The class-action lawsuit recently filed by the Lex Group (the same firm that sued Honda Canada for tailgate windows shattering) targets white Honda and Acura vehicles with so-called “tri-coat” paint. Buyers generally pay more for these vehicles than for those with standard paint. Platinum Pearl White on a Honda HR-V presently carries an additional cost of $550, for example, while the surcharge for an Acura MDX is $900.

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The lawsuit seeks reimbursement for repair costs, as well as per-owner damages of $1,000 for emotional distress, $1,000 for concealing defects at the time of sale, and up to $5,000 in punitive and exemplary damages. “Given the circumstances, punitive damages are appropriate to send a clear message to vehicle manufacturers: Vehicle owners should never have to wait months or years for proper repairs,” said Mr. Assor.

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