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3G termination class action lawsuits overview:
- Who: Consumers recently filed class action lawsuits against Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Porsche and BMW.
- Why: Drivers claim the automakers installed 3G telematics systems in their vehicles that are now obsolete. This is because wireless carriers phased out 3G in favor of 4G and 5G networks.
- Where: The class actions were filed nationwide.
Consumers recently filed several class action lawsuits against automakers accused of fitting their vehicles with 3G telematics software that no longer functions amid wireless networks’ decisions to shelve the technology.
Drivers argue their vehicles’ telematics features, which include safety features such as emergency roadside assistance, are obsolete following companies such as AT&T choosing to discontinue 3G technology.
Ford accused of failing to disclose it outfitted vehicles with ‘inferior’ 3G modems
A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Ford earlier this month, alleging the automaker sold vehicles manufactured with now-obsolete 3G telematics equipment.
Ford allegedly failed to disclose in its warranty manuals for the affected vehicles that it had made them with “an inferior 3G modem.”
“The 3G modem was not disclosed by Ford’s authorized dealership, on the vehicle’s window sticker or elsewhere at the time Plaintiff purchased the vehicle,” the Ford class action states.
The driver behind the class action lawsuit claims that Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with the 3G modems can no longer use their internet-enabled features, including safety features.
Toyota sold vehicles with obsolete 3G telematics equipment, class action says
Also this month, a pair of consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Toyota, arguing the company sold vehicles containing 3G telematics equipment that no longer works.
Safety features, including emergency roadside assistance and collision notification, no longer work in the affected Toyota vehicles due to 3G wireless network discontinuation, according to the Toyota class action.
“This poses a significant safety hazard to drivers and occupants of Class Vehicles, and other members of the public, because disconnecting 3G compatibility has now ‘bricked’ important safety features in the Class Vehicles,” the Toyota class action states.
The consumers behind the class action lawsuit argue Toyota knew before selling the affected vehicles that they needed 3G wireless networks to function.
Volkswagen accused of failing to provide a solution to vehicle owners with obsolete 3G telematics systems
Volkswagen, meanwhile, faced similar claims last month by a consumer arguing the automaker failed to provide a solution for owners of vehicles outfitted with now-obsolete 3G connectivity.
The consumer claims that Volkswagen failed to design the 3G telematics system in vehicles up to model year 2019 to adapt to newer 4G and 5G wireless networks.
Volkswagen continued to put 3G telematics software in vehicles well after 4G replaced the technology in 2014.
“All manufacturers of 3G devices have long known that 3G was ‘spectrally inefficient’ and would be phased out as early as possible,” the Volkswagen class action states.
Telematics systems in BMW, Porsche vehicles no longer work, class action says
Also last month, a consumer separately filed class action lawsuits against BMW and Porsche, arguing the companies misrepresented the telematics systems in some of their vehicles.
The consumer argues the telematics systems in some BMW and Porsche vehicles no longer work since they require 3G wireless networks, which have since been discontinued, to function.
BMW and Porsche failed to disclose to their customers that their vehicles’ telematics systems and accompanying safety features would become inoperable if carriers phased out 3G wireless networks.
“The Class Vehicles’ internet-enabled telematic features such as roadside emergency safety features were rendered inoperable after the 3G phase out in 2022 due to defendants’ use of obsolete telematics equipment they installed in the Class Vehicles,” the BMW and Porsche class actions state.
Have you lost access to the telematics systems in your vehicle since wireless carriers phased out 3G wireless networks? Let us know in the comments!
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69 thoughts onDrivers allege loss of vehicles’ safety features after 3G termination
2018 Lexus GX460 pissed of owner here. Please add me to any lawsuits regarding this class action suit.
Please include me as well. We bought a 2019 Genesis G80 based on all of the features they massively marketed as “Genesis Connected Services”. NOW THREE YEARS LATER, THOSE SERVICES ARE TERMINATED WITH NO RECOURSE. And Hyundai Genesis are offering NO SOLUTION WHATSOEVER. They sold the car to us in 2019 ALREADY KNOWING THE TELEMATICS SERVICE WOULD BE TERMINATED IN THREE YEARS and never told us anything when we were buying the car.
Count me in as a class member. Hyundai Motor America should be sued in the class action as well. Their email notification emphasizes “important safety features” will terminate as of Jan 1 2023. They are offering no solution whatsoever. Bluelink is as important as a seat belt and airbags. The amount of stress and anxiety this has caused and continues to cause me is unacceptable. I feel like I’ve been exploited by Hyundai. My car is still under warranty and now has a defective safety feature. Let me know next steps. Thank you.
Include me as well. I have a 2017 Lexus ES300H and was not told at the time of purchase that Lexus Enform, crash notification, vehicle remote start among other 3G supported tools would not be supported or upgraded under warranty. Dealership just wants me to purchase a new vehicle. Why should anyone go back into debt.
I have 2017 Infiniti q50 one of the main reason for me to buy the q50 is it has sos emergency feature in case of accident and that feature doesn’t even work because the car is installed with 3g and no longer supported
Add me to the class action. This is totally unacceptable. I have a 2017 GS 350 with 60k miles and paid for a car with these serves only to find out that they are no longer available. I’m happy to legislate, report, market this issue to anybody and everyone. Please contact me to express this matter.
Please add me to the complaint. The additional costs for thes features along with the reliability of Lexus RX350 is my reason for purchasing it. Now I can’t use these features. Add me to the suit.
I have a 2016 Nissan Maxima and would like to be included. I was told by dealer that I needed LoJack installed in order for gps to work. They charged me 400.00. And gave me an outdated sdcard. It would all have been different if I had Nissan connect services. The website says my car is not equipped even though I have the options in my car. Wasn’t told any of this before purchase and I had to do research to find out on my own.
Add me
I also have a lexus 2017 350 rx. I made taking into consideration all of the safety features of which I’ve lost a great portion of due to the discontinuation of 3g. There’s currently no replacement in place for these features which I paid for when purchased.
Thank god something is finally being done! Please add me!
I specially built my 2022 BMW 230i M-Sport pkg car in late 2021 and received it in mid February this year (2022). I paid 20knover sticker price… ~ 12k in upgrades for every single option available (or advertised as available option at the time I built it), and literally none of it works… either completely missing or more concerning faulty or unreliable!! I have fought the dealership and went all the way up to BMW NA so called executive investigative division (a complete joke I found out… and they say you can only go through that process once, even if they manipulated the “customer issue” to completely misrepresent the safety concerns and 12k I paid for options that did not exist or faulted)
Some features I purchased that aren’t working properly, or never did, are:
5G cellular plan capability (in fact, I paid for a TMobile plan for my car and am still paying because they won’t let me cancel the plan).
BMW assist and roadside help with car tracking and emergency response.
wireless automatic map updates and iDrive system updates, functions like park mobile which is supposed to find a parking spot on demand.
Live Cockpit Pro (incl. Navi)
Active Park Distance Control
Active Driving Assistant – driving assistance package with advanced collision warning and breaking capabilities.
Parking Assistant Plus
Active Blind Spot Detection
Apple CarPlay / Android Auto Compat.
Connected Package Pro
ConnectedDrive Services
Lane Departure Warning
Remote access and operation of car
Crash detection and auto emergency call
Live traffic and traffic light warnings