Certification Sought in Mercedes-Benz Engine Defect Class Action Lawsuit

A group of Louisiana residents filed a motion Monday seeking certification for a proposed class action lawsuit accusing Mercedes-Benz of knowing that many of its cars were sold in Louisiana with problematic V-6 and V-8 engines that can break down and require repairs costing thousands of dollars.

In any vehicle, a balance shaft plays a role in the engine functioning properly. When the pistons move and the crankshaft and camshafts rotate at a certain speed, there are also secondary vibrations. Left unchecked, the engine can misfire as pistons begin to respond to the shimmying or even fail completely. The balance shaft spins at a rate double that of the engine’s actual RPM, necessitating the gear that the plaintiffs said had failed.

The June 23 motion for the proposed Mercedes-Benz engine class action lawsuit is seeking damages based on consumer rights laws for all persons and entities who purchased certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with the M272 engine, covering many of the automaker’s coupes and sedans, in Louisiana since 2004.

The Mercedes-Benz class action lawsuit has had to proceed along an arduous path, first having been filed in 2010, then removed to federal court in 2012. It even survived an appeals court, which ruled in its favor to block Mercedes-Benz’s attempt to derail the class action lawsuit by requiring repeated discovery.

According to the Mercedes-Benz engine class action lawsuit, the defect often manifests itself after the warranty period has expired, generally around 60,000 miles, and can cost up to $4,000 to repair any damage and replace the part. Further, the plaintiffs allege that the automaker knew about the Mercedes-Benz engine defect for several years. Had it not, the technical service bulletin issued internally to mechanics showing how to find the issue and replace it would have been completely unnecessary, they claim.

The plaintiffs are represented by class action attorneys John Randall Whaley of Whaley Law Firm and Kevin R. Duck of Duck Law Firm.

The Mercedes-Benz Engine Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Marie Dugas, et al. v. Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, et al., Case No. 12-cv-02885 in the U.S. District Court of Western Louisiana.