In May 2003, Fischli and Weiss threatened legal action against Honda over similarities between the Cog commercial and The Way Things Go. The artists felt that the ad's creators had "obviously seen" their film and should have consulted them.
In May 2003, Fischli and Weiss filed a lawsuit against Honda regarding the resemblance between the Cog commercial and The Way Things Go. They felt that the ad makers had "definitely observed" their work and ought to have contacted them for authorization.