Fiat Chrysler Class Action Alleges Jeep Corrosion Defects

Jeep Corrosion Defect Class Action Lawsuit Overview:

• Why: FCA allegedly knew about a corrosion defect in the aluminum of certain Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles but failed to remedy the defect or disclose it to consumers.
• Who: Four Jeep owners have filed a class action lawsuit against FCA US, LLC.
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Michigan federal court.

Four Jeep owners have filed a class action lawsuit against FCA US, LLC (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) for misleading consumers about the allegedly defective aluminum body parts of new Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators.

The alleged defect causes ​​the vehicles’ aluminum panels to corrode and the exterior paint on aluminum body parts to bubble, flake, peel, rust and/or blister over time. 

The lead plaintiffs are Domingo Orozco, Irma Orozco, Mark Bordelon and Antoine Louvat, all of whom bought new Jeep vehicles within the past few years in different states. The Orozcos own a 2019 Wrangler, Bordelon a 2018 Wrangler and Louvat a 2020 Gladiator. Collectively, the plaintiffs experienced corrosion and bubbling paint on their Jeep vehicles’ tailgates, doors, fenders, frames, rear windows and hinges. 

The plaintiffs seek to represent a nationwide class that includes all persons or entities that purchased or leased a Jeep Wrangler, model years 2018-2021, or Jeep Gladiator, model years 2020-2021. Similarly, the action also proposes a Louisiana class, New Hampshire class and New York class.

The plaintiffs bring claims for unjust enrichment, violation of warranty laws and violations of state consumer protection laws. 

FCA Allegedly Concealed Aluminum Defect

FCA switched to aluminum with its 2018 Wrangler models to lighten the vehicle and improve fuel efficiency. FCA acknowledged the corrosion defect in a series of internal technical service bulletins (TSBs). These TSBs directed dealerships to apply pretreatment wipes and anticorrosion treatments to the affected areas before refinishing but forbade parts replacement “under any circumstance,” according to the complaint. 

Externally, FCA advertised the new Wrangler’s “quality, reliability and durability” and “more than 3.9 million miles of testing,” according to court documents.

After the Wrangler’s release, customers complained about the corrosion defect on several online Jeep forums, which the FCA admittedly “actively monitors” and responds to, according to court documents.

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator, released in 2019, incorporated ​​the same aluminum panels and parts as the Wrangler and has experienced the same corrosion defects.

FCA Response to Defect ‘Inadequate,’ Complaint Says

Due to FCA’s failure to disclose information about the corrosion defect, the plaintiffs and class members argue they lost money from the overpriced vehicle purchases and from the continued “inadequate” repairs and repaintings, which further decrease the vehicle’s value. 

The complaint also maintains that FCA knowingly excluded repairs for this defect from its “illusory” corrosion warranty. 

Have you bought any of the class vehicles discussed above? Tell us about your experience in the comments below

The plaintiffs are represented by Jason H. Alperstein and Kristen Lake Cardoso of Kopelowitz Ostrow Ferguson Weiselberg Gilbert and Steven G. Calamusa, Geoff S. Stahl and Rachel A. Bentley and Gordon & Partners, P.A.

The Jeep Corrosion Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Orozco, et al v. FCA US, LLC, Case No. 2:21-cv-12823-MFL-DRG, in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

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