You're watching...
Former attorney Heather Peters on winning her lawsuit against Honda over the automaker’s hybrid mpg claims.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
And now a true David vs Goliath story or in this case.
Heather vs Goliath Heather Peters is a California woman took the giant carmaker Honda to court.
But not go -- you might expect she took in two small claims court that's a place usually reserved for small disputes landlord vs -- things like that.
Certainly not a -- as you'd expect to see someone take on a giant multinational corporation like Honda.
And guess what she won.
Her victory is now leading other consumers to do the same thing Heather Peters a -- my attorney joins me now Heather thanks for being with this.
Even -- thanks for having me that I think we're glad to have you here the thing that I wanted to ask you first is how did you discover.
That what they were saying about their miles per gallon was actually true or -- in this case.
Well I mean from the beginning they advertise fifty miles per gallon and -- never really got anything close to that but average mileage may vary so I wasn't gonna -- But it went down and down and down and down and they have this handy little gauge right on the dashboard that tells me how much -- is.
House and that made it pretty darn easy I guess now and -- -- -- in dealing you know like most people would.
-- -- a small claims court they get a bunch other grievances people with grievances together and and try to follow a much bigger see why didn't you do that.
Well actually there are five class actions going on and -- been going on for five years and I waited and waited in hope that that would you know be a good results.
Have at the end of the today they wanted to settle and they're trying to settle right now offered 200 dollars -- a coupon.
Towards -- -- Honda.
And I don't want -- Honda so it was easy for me to turn that down and go to small claims so why -- really sell angry as you said yourself sometimes with.
What's told -- is quite different than what happens in reality.
Well you know in this situation.
-- the problem wasn't just the advertising.
In 2010 -- realize their batteries were dying they admitted they were dying.
And they had to fix them or put it that 3000 dollar new battery and so -- reprogram the car to use the hybrid less.
And use -- more pick up I like us siphoning gas out of my guess it's like just completely opposite what what you would expect sector right I mean that's amazing.
Now are you contacted by people all over the country now asking did you did pretty decent settlement compared to the people in the class action.
Yeah all over the world.
I got an email from Prague today -- -- up with that.
It's been amazing I mean even before I one I had over 500 -- owners contact me -- don't settle with Honda dot org.
And that that in that number doubled instantaneous as silly as soon as I won and he continues to climb.
Now you got what not 9867.
Boxer you will get that amount what do you do what -- -- -- -- content that what you plan.
Well first I have to get through their appeal.
But I'd feel very strong about it and I would like to take that money.
And take the car over that Honda dealer and say you think it's such a great car what you buy it from me.
And put that money and then go by our -- -- you have something called don't settle with Honda dot org website promoting just the way that you went after Honda what kind of reaction are you getting to that.
-- fantastic.
It's really amazing.
What I'm doing is -- actually -- reactivated my law license and I'm just sharing my evidence with everyone.
So they can go to small claims court themselves but if -- -- afraid to do that and they want to object to the class action settlement.
They have until of February 11 to tell the judge 200 bucks doesn't cut it and I'd be happy to represent them to do that.
They can even write a letter themselves but a lot of people aren't comfortable that still another fifty bucks all good for -- the -- the interesting things that we've been finding out there is that can more and more consumers are stepping up to companies big companies and saying.
I'm not taking this he's out with Bank of America and the debit card fees they -- that we -- it just across the -- people are making more more complaints.
Do you have that sense that Americans just don't want to put up with sub par products are fees that are in excess of what they usually pay.
Absolutely I mean people have been pushed and pushed and pushed and with the economy the way it is everybody's looking at every dime yet and they're tired of it is just not better.
-- pleasure to have you on the show thanks for coming on and we really appreciate -- Then I appreciated you thanks for cover in the story.
