Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the parent company of the Dodge and Jeep brands, is facing a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit states that the 2014-2016 editions of both the Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0L and Dodge Ram 1500 3.0L have “defeat devices” used to fool tests into registering lower amounts of pollutants than the vehicles are actually emitting.
The lawsuit is similar to the infamous one that Volkswagen was hit with after their vehicles were found to be cheating emissions tests in 2015 (and that was just settled in early 2017). The EPA claims that the recent Grand Cherokee and Ram models emit less pollutants during standard treadmill testing than they do under road conditions.
The main difference here is that the devices installed in the Volkswagen vehicles were found to have clearly been put there to fool emissions tests. Fiat Chrysler is claiming that the similar devices found in these vehicles are actually needed as part of the engine’s normal operation, and that the effect on emissions was unintentional. The EPA has been investigating this claim for more than a year now, however, and is still not satisfied, though they have yet to make any formal allegations related to violation of the Clean Air Act.
Multiple lawsuits of this nature have been filed against Fiat Chrysler in both the United States and Canada. These cases accuse Fiat Chrysler of breach of contract, racketeering, fraudulent concealment and violation of warranty on the basis of the use of software to falsify emissions readings.
If you own a 2014, 2015 or 2016 Dodge Ram or Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.0L diesel engine, you may be eligible to participate in a class action lawsuit. For more information, contact Bailey & Glasser LLP.