Auto Defect Class Action Lawsuits

Car defects risk lives. Migliaccio & Rathod LLP’s product liability lawyers work to make vehicles safer for drivers and passengers, and to get consumers their money’s worth for the cars they buy. Based in DC, our attorneys bring class actions nationwide on behalf of large groups of car buyers, when those buyers have purchased defective cars and when car makers refuse to fix them.

Settlements

Brown v. Hyundai Motor America et al., Case No. 2:18-cv-11249 (D.N.J.). This consumer class action arose from a latent defect found in model year 2011 through 2016 Hyundai Elantra cars with “Nu” 1.8-liter engines. Defects in the piston assemblies of the Nu 1.8L engines cause total and irreparable engine failure, the symptoms of which include a knocking noise from the engine while the car is warming up after being started and/or while driving. Once the fateful engine knock sound begins, the engine will inevitably fail completely, causing a loss of engine power, power steering and brake assistance which can lead to stalling while the vehicle is in motion and place the operator o the vehicle, and those that share the road with them, at risk of accident, injury, or death. Once the Piston Defect has manifested, the engine block has been damaged beyond repair. Therefore, the only fix is replacement of the engine, which can cost upwards of $10,000. The Court granted final approval on the settlement in this case on April 20, 2021. Impacted consumers who submitted valid claims received reimbursement for past out-of-pocket repairs and repair-related expenses caused by the defect. Newly impacted consumers continue to be covered by the extended powertrain warranty of up to 10 years or 120,000 miles.

Fath et al. v. Honda North America, Inc., Case No. 0:18-cv-01549 (D. Minn.). M&R served on the Plaintiff Steering Committee in this nationwide action arising from Honda’s alleged manufacture, design, marketing and sale of vehicles with a fuel dilution defect. Vehicles included in the ultimate settlement of this case were 2017-2018 Honda CR-V vehicles equipped with a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine or any 2016-2018 Honda Civic vehicles equipped with a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine. The case settled on a class-action basis, and eligible class members who filed a claim, where appropriate, were provided with an extended warranty, reimbursement of expenses, and a product update where applicable. Newly impacted consumers may still be eligible for extended warranty coverage and may contact their dealers accordingly. If you are a consumer with a newer model of these vehicles, you may be covered by a newly filed ongoing suit. Find details here and below.

Norman et al. v. Nissan North America, Inc., Case No. 3:18-cv-00534 (M.D. Tenn.). M&R served as co-counsel in this class action settlement on behalf of a class of owners and lessees of 2013-2017 Nissan Juke vehicles (“Class Vehicles”) equipped with continuously variable transmission (“CVTs”), which led to poor transmission performance or failure. Under the settlement, all owners and lessees of a Class Vehicle receive a 24 month / 24,000-mile extended warranty. The settlement also provides full or partial reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses related to replacement or repair of the CVTs for qualifying Class Members if the repairs are done within the extended warranty period, vouchers for certain former owners toward the purchase or lease of a new Nissan or Infiniti vehicle, and an Expedited Resolution Process for any future warranty claims related to transmission design, manufacturing or performance, that preserves the right to file a lawsuit for those who do not receive vehicle repurchases.

For information on current Auto Defect cases, visit Our Auto Defect Lawyers in DC.