FCA Slammed With Twin Lawsuits While Waiting on EPA Investigation
The Environmental Protection Agency alleged last week Fiat Chrysler Automobiles had installed undisclosed emissions software in 104,000 of its diesel vehicles — issuing the company a notice of violation for its Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500.
While the EPA continues its investigation into whether or not FCA will become the next Volkswagen, Canadian law firm Sotos LLP and America’s Heninger Garrison Davis LLC have coincidentally teamed-up to launch class action lawsuits on behalf of consumers.
These new suits are linked to the 2014 to 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 models equipped with the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 the EPA is so keenly interested in right now. However, there is an outstanding and unrelated law suit over Cummins equipped Ram models from 2007 to 2012.
The Sotos suit is seeking $250 million in damages against FCA Canada on behalf of affected owners. Filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the document states it is seeking compensation and faults the company with poor conduct, civil conspiracy, and corporate negligence. Meanwhile, Heninger Garrison Davis have not yet disclosed the amount of compensation it will be seeking but it did openly refer to the emissions software as “defeat devices.”
Potentially following in Volkswagen’s footsteps, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also faces a possible fine of up to $4.62 billion — based upon the cost per vehicle and the number of trucks produced for the 2014 through 2016 model years.
[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]
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The EPA has had several years to better define when it's appropriate to use its power and when it's prudent to exercise some discretion. They did not take advantage of that opportunity, something they will soon regret. Shakedown artists.
Even an attempt VW'ish type action against a large American'ish company by the EPA with an anti-regulation President that is selling himself as "making America great" would be Agency suicide.
Filing these suits already is really premature as the EPA is still investigating. I predict that fines will be assessed for technical violations but this is not Dieselgate II. If only the government was this aggressive with defects that actually put people in the ground.
"GUTS. GLORY. DECEPTION. RAM." Just rolls right off the tongue.