Range Rover Class Action Alleges Filter Defect

A class action lawsuit has been waged against Jaguar Land Rover North America by a consumer who claims that there is a defect in the vehicles’ diesel particulate filter which is prone to becoming clogged and malfunctions.

Plaintiff Daoud Shaaya says he purchased a new 2018 Land Rover Range Rover HSE, which came equipped with a diesel engine. At the time he purchased the vehicle, he claims that he test drove the car, spoke with a salesperson about the vehicle, and viewed the sticker posted on the side of the car.

Shaaya states that he was not told by the dealer that the Range Rover had a diesel particulate filter (DPF) defect and relied on this information when he purchased the vehicle.

The Range Rover defect class action lawsuit claims that, if he had been informed about the Range Rover defect in the vehicle, Shaaya would not have purchased it. 

In November 2018, the plaintiff maintains that the DPF warning light illuminated in his car and he was instructed to drive 40 miles per hour for approximately 20 minutes. He states that he attempted to drive to a highway in order to follow these instructions, but the car would not accelerate past nine miles per hour.

Shaaya says that he took his Range Rover to the dealership and informed them of the problem with the vehicle. At the time of the issue, the Range Rover had 3,325 miles on the odometer and was within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, the plaintiff claims.

Despite this warranty eligibility, the dealership allegedly told him that the DPF was full and required a replacement cost of $5,000. He says that he was denied warranty coverage and had to pay $3,122.98 out-of-pocket to repair the Range Rover defect.

The dealership informed the plaintiff that it was not taking any more diesels for 2019 because the problems with the DPF were taking up too much time to replace, the Range Rover class action lawsuit states.

Shaaya notes that his Range Rover continued to suffer from the DPF defect following the repair because one defective component was being replaced by another defective part.

The same light went on in February 2019 with 4,766 miles on the car and the dealership replaced the DPF, this time under the warranty. The plaintiff goes on to say that he still experiences the DPF defect in his Range Rover.

The plaintiff claims that he was not informed that the filter in his vehicle would become clogged during normal driving conditions and would require a replacement.

Shaaya complains that the DPF defect poses an unreasonable safety hazard to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

He says this is because a clogged DPF can cause an unexpected loss of power that can decrease a vehicle’s performance and can even cause a complete shutdown.

Shaaya says the DPF defect increases the risk of an accident and a risk that the drivers will become stranded because his Range Rover would not be operable.

In addition to failing to warn consumers, the plaintiff claims that the defendant knew about the issue but concealed the true nature and extent of the Range Rover defect. 

“Defendant knew the Class Vehicles were defective and not fit for their intended purpose of providing consumers with safe and reliable transportation at the time of the sale and thereafter,” the Range Rover class action lawsuit states.

Shaaya claims that the defendant has not issued a recall on the Class vehicles to repair the defect and has not offered consumers a suitable repair or replacement free of charge.

In addition, the plaintiff argues that the defendant has not offered to reimburse vehicle owners for the costs that they have incurred in repairing their cars.

The Range Rover class action lawsuit says that, if Shaaya had known about the DPF defect in his Range Rover, he would not have purchased the vehicle or would have paid less for it.

The plaintiff claims that as a result of the Range Rover defect, the value of Class vehicles has diminished, including the resale value of the cars. The plaintiff notes that putative Class Members would expect that the defendant would not sell or lease vehicles with a known defect and would fully disclose any defects to potential car owners at the time of sale.

“As a result of their reliance on Defendant’s omissions and/or misrepresentations, owners and/or lessees of the Class Vehicles have suffered ascertainable loss of money, property, and/or loss in value of their Class Vehicles,” the Range Rover class action lawsuit goes on to say.

Prospective Class Members include: “All persons who purchased or leased a diesel engine-powered 2018-2020 Land Rover Range Rover or other diesel engine-powered Jaguar Land Rover vehicle equipped with a substantially similar DPF system within the United States.”

Did you purchase a Range Rover vehicle? Are you having problems with your vehicle? Leave a message in the comments section below.

The plaintiff is represented by Kelly M. Purcaro of Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf LLP, Marc L. Godino, Lionel Z. Glancy and Danielle L. Manning of Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, Kevin Landau and Charles Goulding of Taus Cebulash & Landau LLP and Mark S. Greenstone of Greenstone Law PC.

The Range Rover DPF Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Daoud Shaaya v. Jaguar Land Rover North America LLC, Case No. 2:20-cv-05679, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

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