Glade Class Action Says Leaky Car Air Fresheners Ruin Dashboards

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the makers of Glade Auto Scented Oil Automotive Air Fresheners alleging the product can leak, which causes damage to the interiors of cars.

“Specifically, the Air Fresheners, which are intended to be clipped to automobile interior air vents, leak oil and/or other substances,” according to the complaint, which “penetrate and damage the instrument panels and/or dashboards of the automobiles in which they are used.”

The Glade class action lawsuit also asserts that the defendant manufacturers Kraco Enterprises LLC and S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. “have long been aware of this defect” but intentionally hid the problem from consumers.

In support, the complaint cites numerous websites where individuals have complained of these issues. For example, on the website www.PlanetFeedback.com, one consumer posted that she installed a Glade air freshener in her new vehicle, and it leaked, melting the buttons and faceplate of her car stereo.

Several comments on that post are from other consumers who also experienced damage from Glade air fresheners. One commenter stated that the oil in the Glade air freshener leaked out and melted the plastic face of his console. The commenter questioned, “This product shouldn’t MELT PLASTIC! What the heck is this stuff made of?”

Plaintiff Anthony Succi of Pennsylvania says he purchased a Glade scented oil automotive air freshener in September 2016. Succi claims that he followed the directions and clipped the air freshener onto a vent in his dashboard, but the oil leaked out of the device, causing damage to his vehicle.

According to the complaint, the air freshener oil burned a hole and left other marks on the interior console, which would cost Succi almost $200 to repair.

The Glade defective auto air freshener class action lawsuit alleges that the defendant manufacturers violated California and Pennsylvania consumer protection laws by not recalling the defective products, or properly notifying consumers prior to purchase.

In addition, the complaint contends that the defendants breached the warranty of the air fresheners, and their duty of good faith and fair dealing.

The defective product lawsuit requests certification of a Class of “[a]ll persons or entities in the United States who have purchased a Glade Auto Scented Oil Automotive Air Freshener, or utilized a Glade Auto Scented Oil Automotive Air Freshener and sustained resulting property damage.”

In the alternative, the complaint asks the court to certify subclasses of consumers in California and Pennsylvania.

The class action seeks restitution, statutory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction requiring the defendants to recall its air fresheners and repair all damages caused by the leaking, defective devices.

Succi is represented by Richard D. McCune, David C. Wright, Joseph G. Sauder, Matthew D. Schelkopf, and Joseph B. Kenney of McCuneWright LLP.

The Glade Defective Auto Air Freshener Class Action Lawsuit is Anthony J. Succi v. Kraco Enterprises LLC and S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-08125, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.