The Honda Owner’s Manual states: “The LKAS may not work properly or may work improperly under the certain conditions”.
Think about that – Honda has a safety system, and I assume it wants us to use and rely on it, yet it then states in the huge handbook with 772 pages in total (incidentally, the salesman did not tell my customer about this) that it “may not work properly.” Isn’t that unbelievable?
Ever think about buying a new vehicle so that you can have the comfort and reliability of it not breaking down when you need to be somewhere on time? Many have done just that, and the woman (my customer) who did just that, whom this article is based on, was deceived like many others were when she purchased a new 2022 Honda Civic Sport. This woman has allowed me to drive her new 2022 Honda Civic Sport many times with her to verify the unsafe driving condition when using the Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) on the freeway.
The LKAS safety system sometimes does not work properly (as confirmed in Honda’s own handbook), which could cause an accident, property damage, and or injuries.
Honda knows about this Safety Defect with the LKAS, but when the customer complained about this problem, Honda service states it is normal operation. In fact, the system makes the vehicle unsafe, and Honda knows about this safety issue even though its salesman did not disclose this important fact and known defect to this one new customer. It is buried in the huge Honda handbook – but the Question is: How many Honda customers are able to read the entire handbook, and do it before driving their new Honda? Perhaps it is less than one percent?
When customers complain about the LKAS problem, Honda Dealerships may admit there is a problem. But they refused to write anything on a repair order for my customer when this matter was complained about at a Honda dealership.
I am here to disclose that the Safety Defect Honda states it is normal operation, but unless asked to inform and acknowledge anything about it, they refuse to tell you it can cause you to lose control at high speeds. Imagine losing control of your new Honda at a high speed!
The LKAS is supposed to let you know if you drift out of the lane with a vibration in the steering wheel and give the vehicle a slight nudge back into the lane; a light will also show up on the instrument cluster.
The problem is with some 2022 Honda Civic Sport vehicles, the vehicle will improperly and unsafely change lanes by self when following ghost lines or road color change. The one Honda Civic I have tested has done that very thing and will actually at times try to pull you into the side of an 18-Wheeler Truck when passing one on the freeway (this occurred on I-5 N, a good freeway). It will actually try to drive the vehicle for you – and do it unsafely!
In the Honda Owner’s Manual 2022 Civic Sedan (at pages 584 to 587):
LKAS Conditions and Limitations
The system may not detect lane markings and therefore may not keep the vehicle in the middle of the lane under certain conditions, including the following:
Environmental conditions
• There is little contrast between lane lines and the roadway surface.
• Driving in bad weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.).
• Driving on a snowy or wet roadway.
• Driving into low sunlight (e.g. at dawn or dusk).
• Shadows of adjacent objects (trees, buildings, guard rails, vehicles, etc.) are parallel to white (or yellow) lines.
• Sudden changes between light and dark, such as the entrance or exit of a tunnel or the shadows of trees, buildings, etc.
• Driving at night or in a dark place such as a tunnel (due to low-light conditions, lane lines or the road surface may not be illuminated).
• The distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you is too short, and lane lines and the road surface are not visible.
• Strong light is reflected onto the roadway.
Roadway conditions
• Driving on a road with temporary lane markings.
• Faint, multiple, or varied lane markings are visible on the roadway due to road repairs or old lane markings.
• The roadway has merging, split, or crossing lines, such as at an intersection or crosswalk.
• The lane markings are extremely narrow, wide, or changing.
• Part of the lane markings are hidden by an object, such as a vehicle.
• The road is hilly or the vehicle is approaching the crest of a hill.
• Your vehicle is strongly shaken on uneven road surfaces.
• When objects on the road (curb, guard rail, pylons, etc.) are recognized as white (or yellow) lines.
• Driving on rough or unpaved roads, or over bumpy surfaces.
• Driving on roads with double lane lines.
• Driving on snowy or slippery roads.
• The pavement is only partially visible due to snow or puddles on the road.
• There is a film of water or puddles on the road surface.
• White (or yellow) lines are not recognized correctly due to road conditions such as curves, twists, or hills.
• Driving on unpaved or nutted roads.
• Passing through an exit or an interchange.
Vehicle conditions
• When lighting is weak due to dirt covering the headlight lenses, or there is poor visibility in a dark place due to the headlights being improperly adjusted.
• The front of the camera is covered by dirt, fog, rain, mud, wet snow, seals, accessories, stickers, or film on the windshield.
• Driving at night or in a dark place (e.g., a tunnel) with the headlights off.
• There is residue on the windshield from the windshield wipers.
• An abnormal tire or wheel condition (incorrect sizes, varied sizes or construction, improperly inflated, compact spare tire*, etc.).
• The vehicle is tilted due to a heavy load in the trunk or rear seats.
• The suspension has been modified
• Tire chains* are installed.
*Not available on all models
That is quite a long list! With all these limitations stated in the Honda handbook but not discussed at time of purchase, is this a safe system? Of course not!
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By the way, there is another problem that occurs on this 2022 Honda Civic Sport I have tested, and that is the high-speed torque at 75 mph when driving with traffic; the vehicle has high speed torque. The vehicle steering torque makes it pull left and right inside the lane like it is fighting itself. I reported this to the Honda Dealerships, and they said all is normal.
From the Honda Owner’s Manual, page 579 states: “If the vehicle drifts toward either left or right lane line due to the system applying torque, turn off the LKAS and have your vehicle checked by a dealer,” The owner did report that concern but was told there is no problem found and that it is working as designed. Working as designed? Incredible!
There is some good news: If the road conditions are good, you can use the system according to Honda Owner’s Manual:
“When the System can be Used” – as long as the road is in perfect condition, sunny and mild, flat and straight roads.
The system can be used when the following conditions are met. (on page 579)
• The lane in which you are driving has detectable lane markers on both sides, and your vehicle is in the center of the lane.
• The vehicle is traveling between about 45 and 90 mph.
• You are driving on a straight or slightly curved road.
• The turn signals are off.
• The brake pedal is not depressed.
Advice given by two (2) Honda Dealership Service Advisors at two (2) separate and different Honda Dealerships is to turn the LKAS off. Both service advisers said they witnessed the problem with their own family vehicles. One of the service writers said, she drives with hers turned off, and I responded, yes, we can do that, but we are paying $3,000 (estimated) for the use of it on our new vehicle. The second service writer at another Honda Dealership told us he does not allow his wife to drive her new 2022 Honda with the LKAS on but makes her drive with it off.
If you have or know of a similar problem and want some help, you can get help at a law firm I contacted, who may be doing a Civil Lawsuit to help us. Remember, this LKAS costs us a lot of money, and much worse can cause injury and or damage, and not being able to use it and not advised of that fact before or at time of purchase is unfair business practice at our expense.
The problem you have just read about is the same problem that my customer has complained about. Currently, there is no known fix for this Lane-Keep-Assist-System problem according to Honda service advisors.
What can you do to get help with your defective LKAS in your 2022 Honda Civic Sport?
Call Carey at Bisnar & Chase Law firm or send me an email. They would like to speak to you about that defect, a potentially serious defect that could cause you to have loss of control of your vehicle and possibly get you into an accident.
Bisnar & Chase Law
800.956.0123 | 949.752.2999
Ask for Carey Lynn regarding the 2022 Honda Civic Sports Civil Case
If you own a 2022 Honda Civic Sport or Sedan, be careful; drive safely with both hands tightly gripped on the steering wheel. Also, spread the word now, and if you have any questions or prefer to contact me, please send me an email at lemonprotection@yahoo.com.
Thank you all,
Jackie Winters
Lemon Protection
Serving California and Nevada for Over 27 Years
