Class action says Honda and Acura keyless entry makes cars easy to steal and asks for theft protection

The case is Innarella v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., filed on October 29, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California as case 2:26-cv-12679. The plaintiff, Trina M. Innarella of New Jersey, bought a 2024 Honda Civic Sport with keyless entry from a New Jersey dealer in 2023. The defendants are American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and its Japanese parent, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. The complaint does not claim that her car was stolen; it argues that the security weakness itself lowered the value of her car and those of other owners.

Passive keyless entry lets a driver unlock and start the car as long as the key fob is nearby, without pressing a button. According to the complaint, thieves defeat that convenience in several ways: relaying the fob's signal from inside a house to the car parked outside, using software tools to unlock the vehicle, replaying captured unlock signals in a technique known as Rolling-PWN, and plugging a programming tool into the diagnostic port to create a new key. The lawsuit cites insurance industry theft data showing the Acura TLX and the Honda CR-V Hybrid 4WD among the 20 most stolen vehicles for the 2022-2024 model years, and a federal indictment of a theft ring that allegedly targeted recent Civic, CR-V, TLX and RDX models.

The complaint alleges that Honda has known for years that these systems can be exploited, yet does not sell aftermarket stealth immobilizers or diagnostic port locks through its dealers or tell owners such products exist. It also argues that owner materials describing the factory immobilizer as theft protection are misleading. The claims include the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, breach of express and implied warranty, fraud and unjust enrichment.

As filed, the proposed damages class covers anyone who bought or leased a Honda or Acura with passive keyless entry from an authorized U.S. dealer since January 1, 2015, and a second class of current owners seeks a court order requiring Honda to notify owners of the risk and of available countermeasures. The case is at its very first stage. Honda has not yet answered the complaint, no class has been certified, and none of the allegations has been proven.

Our recall records for the 2024 Honda Civic, the plaintiff's car, list three recalls, two for steering and one for seat fasteners, and none for keyless entry or theft. Owner complaints to federal safety regulators about locks are also rare across recent Honda and Acura models in our database, which is expected: theft is usually reported to police and insurers rather than to a vehicle safety agency, so it does not show up as a defect complaint.

If you own a Honda or Acura with keyless entry, keep the fob away from doors and windows at home, or in a signal-blocking pouch, so its signal cannot be relayed from outside. A visible steering wheel lock and a lock for the diagnostic port under the dashboard are inexpensive extra layers. If you are buying one of these cars used, ask how many fobs come with it, since every working fob programmed to the car is a way in, and check with your insurer whether the model carries a higher theft premium.

Owners of the vehicles involved have filed 2 safety complaints in the locks category with the federal safety agency.

Court records and sources

• Court docket: Innarella v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., C.D. Cal. 2:26-cv-12679
• Class action complaint, filed October 29, 2026
• 2024 Honda Civic recalls and complaints