L.A. woman takes automaker to small claims court [UPDATED]

With the cost of fuel rising, gas mileage figures are coming under increasing scrutiny nowadays.

As we told you a few months ago, there's concern the rating system in Canada is way off, but one woman in the U.S. says the numbers on her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid are out of whack, too.

And now she's taking Honda to small claims court over it.

USA Today reports that 46-year-old Heather Peters of Los Angeles is suing Honda over the fact her Civic doesn't get close to the advertised fuel economy numbers she was told it would.

At issue is whether Peters, a former corporate attorney, can circumvent what would normally be a class-action suit to instead get herself a little more money.

A class-action lawsuit would see some Civic owners get $200 back for improperly inflated fuel efficiency numbers. Peters is instead suing for the maximum $10,000 allowed in small claims court, though she says she was cheated out of over $122,000.

In court January 2, she sought compensation for lost mileage, the car's now-lower resale value and for the premium she paid for a hybrid.

Peters alleges that, when new, mileage on the $25,400 Civic hybrid was 20 percent worse than the advertised 49/51 mpg city/highway (4.80 L/100 km and 4.61 L/100 km, respectively).

Furthermore, she says as the battery detoriated, the mileage got worse, and Honda refused to do anything about it. She even brought to court a Honda dealership mechanic who admitted a software upgrade just made things worse.

Honda, for its part, says the mileage sticker found on the car's window in the dealership reflects government-mandated testing and specs.

A Honda representative argued in court that it notes on the sticker that actual mileage may vary, and a 41 to 57 mpg average (5.74 L/100 km to 4.13 L/100 km) is also on there, in smaller print.  

Also, that software upgrade was to extend battery life, and shouldn't affect mileage.

The judge did not immediately offer a ruling.

[UPDATE: 03/02/2012] Jalopnik reports February 1 that Peters has won the case against Honda, to the tune of $9,867. Honda plans to appeal the judgement. Also, Peters has now set up this rather handy DontSettleWithHonda.org website that explains how you, too, can opt out of the class-action lawsuit currently against Honda for the mileage claims and go to small claims court instead.

(USA Today)