Chrysler Pacifica Class Action Claims FCA Failed To Disclose Vehicles Can Explode, Catch Fire

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FCA Chrysler Pacifica PHVA Fire Risk Class Action Lawsuit Overview: 

• Who: Scott A. Olsen filed a class action lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US, LLC. 
• Why: Olsen claims FCA failed to disclose to customers a defect in its 2017-2017 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles that causes them to explode and catch fire.
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US failed to disclose a defect in its 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) that causes them to explode and catch fire, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Scott A. Olsen claims “no remedy exists to date.” 

Olsen claims an internal investigation conducted by FCA revealed 12 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV have caught fire due to a defect that he says the auto manufacturer doesn’t know the root cause of. 

“The Class Vehicles are at risk of exploding or catching fire due to an unknown root cause, resulting in an immediate risk to the vehicles’ occupants or the property surrounding the vehicles,” the class action lawsuit states. 

FCA issued a recall for the vehicles in February 2022, according to the class action lawsuit, which says the auto manufacturer acknowledged they had no remedy to fix the problem.

FCA Tells Drivers Remedy For Chrysler Pacifica Defect ‘Under Development’

Olsen, who says he purchased a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV in February 2018, says FCA told drivers that a remedy was “under development” and to abstain from charging the vehicles or parking them near buildings for the time being. The restrictions have caused vehicle owners and lessees to be “burdened with vehicles that do not perform as advertised and cannot be safely parked like other cars,” according to the class action lawsuit. 

Olsen claims further that vehicle owners were declined the “benefit of their bargain” by purchasing the vehicles due to the allegedly undisclosed defect. 

Olsen claims FCA is guilty of negligence and unjust enrichment, among other things, and in violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and several California civil codes.

Olsen wants to represent a nationwide class and California subclass of consumers who purchased or leased a 2017-18 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV. 

Plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting injunctive relief along with actual, general and special, punitive, incidental, compensatory and consequential damages for himself and all class members. 

FCA issued a separate recall for more than 370,000 of its Dodge Durango SUVs and Ram 2500 trucks earlier this month due to an issue with their electronic stability control warning lights. 

Have you purchased or leased a 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica PHVA? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by Niall P. McCarthy, Anne Marie Murphy, Veena Bhatia and Jeffrey G. Mudd of Cotchett, Pitre, & McCarthy LLP.

The FCA Chrysler Pacifica PHVA Fire Risk Class Action Lawsuit is Olsen v. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) US, LLC, Case No. 3:22-cv-00368, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

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