Nissan Infiniti Class Action Says Vehicles’ Paint Peels Prematurely

Nissan was hit with a class action alleging a serious defect in Infiniti brand vehicles causes the paint to delaminate and peel.

Lead plaintiff John Anglin alleges in his class action lawsuit that Nissan uses severely defective paint on Infiniti vehicles that not only peels, but can also cause rust and other damage to the vehicles’ metal body.

Further, says the plaintiff, the damage often occurs after the warranty period on the vehicle expires and Nissan refuses to fix the damage.

Anglin alleges that he purchased a white 2011 Infiniti at a dealership that cost nearly $73,000. However, shortly after his purchase in 2016, the paint began peeling, so much so that, according to the plaintiff, his vehicle looked grey. The plaintiff says he told both the dealership and Nissan about the problem, but they refused to do anything about it.

“Unlike tires, batteries, and engine oil, which need regular replacement, in modern vehicles, particularly luxury vehicles, automobile paint is expected to last the lifetime of the vehicle, such that, absent an accident, a vehicle owner reasonably would not expect to have to spend thousands of dollars to have their vehicle stripped and repainted during the ownership of the car,” alleges the Nissan class action complaint.

According to the class action, Infiniti vehicles are marketed as luxury cars and owners “receive ‘an unprecedented commitment to professionalism and customer service that is tailored to fit you and your individual needs,’” per Nissan marketing. At the time of manufacture, alleges the plaintiff, the factory applied defective paint; however, the defect was latent and not apparent to consumers when they decided to purchase an Infiniti.

The plaintiff alleges that Nissan is aware of the latent defect in the paint and has been subject to numerous customer complaints. Even while the plaintiff was contacting the dealership and Nissan customer service, continues the plaintiff, Nissan was aware of the problem, but denied it and refused to help Infiniti owners affected by the peeling paint.

“The paint on Plaintiff’s vehicle, as well as other Infiniti brand vehicles purchased by consumers, did not conform to industry standards, particularly given the luxury status and relatively new age of the vehicle,” alleges the complaint.

The plaintiff seeks to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who purchased new Nissan Infiniti brand vehicles with defective paint, along with an Illinois subclass. The class action lawsuit alleges that Nissan was negligent, violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, breached implied warranties and contracts, and violated Illinois consumer protection laws.

The class action lawsuit is seeking damages, a constructive trust against Nissan on behalf of the proposed Class, and an injunction from selling vehicles with defective paint along with attorneys’ fees.

Anglin is represented by David L. Gerbie, Myles McGuire and Eugene Y. Turin of McGuire Law PC.

The Nissan Infiniti Peeling Paint Class Action Lawsuit is John Anglin v. Nissan North America Inc., Case No. 1:17-cv-04240, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

UPDATE: November 2019, the Nissan, Infiniti peeling paint settlement website is now active. Find out what your rights are as Class Members by clicking here.

UPDATE 2: August 2020, the Nissan Rogue white paint class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.