The Worst Car Brands Based on Class Action Lawsuits and Recalls

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Worst Car Brands Class Action Lawsuits, Recalls Overview: 

• Who: A number of recalls and class action lawsuits have been filed against car brands such as Ford, Hyundai, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Tesla and Kia recently. 
• Why: The recalls and class action lawsuits have been due to issues with safety and performance, among other things. 
• Where: The recalls and class action lawsuits are from around the nation. 

American consumers love their cars and can go to great lengths to pick out the perfect set of four wheels. 

Consumers are also quick to hold carmakers accountable with numerous class action lawsuits filed over issues related to performance, safety and reliability, among other things. 

With that in mind, TCA is taking a look at recent class action lawsuits and recalls, which, according to them, makes these the worst car brands in America: 

Fiat Chrysler Faces Claims It Failed To Disclose Vehicle Defect

A class action lawsuit was filed against Fiat Chrysler (FCA) earlier this month by a consumer who claims the automaker failed to disclose a defect in its 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. 

The alleged defect, which the plaintiff claims there is no remedy for, allegedly causes the vehicles to catch fire and explode. 

The class action lawsuit was filed only days after FCA US announced it was recalling more than 370,000 of its Dodge Durango SUVs and Ram 2500 pickup trucks over concerns their warning lights don’t work properly. 

FCA warned consumers that the vehicles’ warning lights may not illuminate when they are supposed to if there is a problem. 

General Motors Issues Multiple Vehicle Recalls During March

Also this month, General Motors issued a recall for more than 740,000 of its 2010-2017 GMC Terrains over concerns of a glare coming from the vehicles’ lower head lamps.

GM said in its recall that the glare was on account of an issue with the lower head lamps’ housing. 

The company also recalled 22 of its 2021 and 2022 C8 Corvette Stingray vehicles this month after discovering they were manufactured with ball bearings missing from their half shafts. 

GM said in its recall that the issue could cause the vehicles to lose drive power. 

In yet another recall this month, GM said that 10 of its 2022 GMC Hummer EV vehicles were manufactured with defective software affecting their rear tail lamps. 

GM said in its recall that the issue could cause the rear tail lamps to either permanently remain on or to become inoperable. 

The company had issued another recall in July of last year for more than 50,000 of its Chevy Bolt vehicles due to concerns they could pose a fire risk. 

GM said in its recall that a defect in the battery of its model year 2017-2019 Chevy Bolt’s was to blame. 

A class action lawsuit was also filed against GM this month over claims that the paint on the automaker’s vehicles is prone to flaking and peeling. 

Included in the claim are GM’s model year 2015-2019 Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL and GMC Sierra vehicles.

Ford Issues Several Vehicle Recalls In February Over Concerns

Ford, meanwhile, recalled more than 157,000 of its 2021 Ford F150 pickup trucks due to an issue with their front windshield wiper motor. 

The automaker says the issue can cause the windshield wiper to stop working, endangering drivers. 

The recall comes on the heels of a February recall initiated by Ford for more than 330,000 of its model year 2015-2017 Ford Mustang vehicles. 

Ford initiated the recall over concerns with the vehicles’ backup camera, specifically its camera header connectors and decklid harness. 

Also in February, Ford recalled 247,445 of its F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickup trucks after discovering the vehicles’ drive shafts can fracture, causing power loss. 

Ford says the issue is caused by the vehicles’ heat and noise insulators, which can become loose and damage the drive shaft by making contact with it. 

In early February, it was reported that Ford, along with GM, had the most total recalls and most vehicles recalled, respectively, for the 2021 year. 

The majority of the vehicle’s recalled by Ford during the year was on account of an issue with defective Takata airbags. 

Hyundai, Kia Issue Recalls Over Vehicle Safety Concerns

Hyundai, meanwhile, initiated a recall this month for 140 of its 2022 Hyundai Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles due to concerns with the vehicles’ seat belt pretensioners. 

In its recall, Hyundai warned drivers that the seat belt pretensioners could explode in the event of an accident. 

Also this month, Kia, which is partially owned by Hyundai, announced a second recall for its 2013-2014 Kia Optima sedans. 

Kia initiated the recall over concerns that the vehicles could catch on fire due to a defective low-pressure fuel hose. 

An issue with faulty seat belt pretensioners was also at the center of a February recall initiated by Hyundai for 354 of its 2020-2021 Hyundai Accent vehicles. 

Hyundai said in its recall that, similar to the Hyundai Elantra, the seat belt pretensioners in the vehicles could explode in the event of an accident, injuring the car’s driver and passengers. 

Also in February, Hyundai and Kia recalled around 485,000 vehicles over concerns their engines could cause them to catch on fire. 

The issue, of which Hyundai and Kia say they have not fully identified the cause, is so significant that the companies have advised owners to park the affected vehicles outside and away from any structures. 

Tesla Initiates Recalls In February, Faces Discrimination Claims

Tesla initiated a number of vehicle recalls in February, including for an alleged defect in the windshields of its 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S and Model X vehicles and its 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. 

The recall was initiated over concerns the vehicles’ windshields are unable to properly defrost on account of a software issue. 

Tesla also recalled more than 800,000 vehicles in February due to concerns with their seat belt chimes. 

The company issued the recall after discovering the seat belt chimes, which are supposed to warn a driver if they are not wearing their seat belt, may not work properly. 

Also in February, Tesla recalled nearly 54,000 of its 2016-2022 Model S and Model X vehicles, 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles due to a problem with their rolling stop feature. 

Tesla initiated the recall due to the rolling stop feature causing a safety issue by allowing the vehicles’ to travel through intersections without stopping. 

The company also faced a class action lawsuit in February from a former Tesla construction manager claiming he faced racial discrimination in the workplace. 

Have you been affected by any of the auto recalls or class action lawsuits listed above? Let us know in the comments!

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