Chrysler Dodge Ram Recalls More Trouble Than They’re Worth: Plaintiffs

Los Angeles, CAIt’s one thing to implement a recall when a product is found to be defective. It’s quite another when the recall so ordered is alleged to be more problem than it’s worth. Such are the allegations over the Chrysler Dodge Ram Recalls after owners of the venerable trucks characterize the recall effort as “bungled.”

The Dodge Ram is a hallmark of the Dodge brand - a tough truck with a persona of strength and ruggedness. And yet a plethora of owners have complained they lose steering control simply driving down the highway.

The problem is alleged to be defective tie rods and tie rod studs that are too weak to withstand everyday driving conditions - the basis for the defective steering system tie rods recall. Affected Dodge Ram owners, however, note that not only has it been difficult to schedule an appointment to have their trucks repaired, replacement parts were hard to come by and plaintiffs allege replacement parts are no better than the allegedly defective parts.

A defective products class-action lawsuit based out of California stands by allegations that not only are the affected parts - and therefore the affected trucks - defective, but that the defective automotive recall was riddled with deficiencies.

The class action was responding to Chrysler’s attempt, in November of last year, to have the lawsuit dismissed. A month later, in the waning days of 2014, plaintiffs shot back.

“Chrysler’s purported recall process has done more harm than good - effectively lulling consumers into a false sense of safety and leaving them without a proper remedy,” the plaintiffs said in their filing. “The recalls have been grossly inadequate because they failed to properly address all impacted vehicles, and the replacement parts from Chrysler were themselves defective, presenting identical failures.”

Well over 1,000 complaints were filed since the start of 2014, related to the unavailability of parts intended to fulfill the mandate of the defective automotive recall. Last October the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into allegations over lack of parts.

The plaintiffs also had a response to Chrysler’s claim that any promises of vehicle safety in promotion and advertising are merely an implied warranty or, put another way, “corporate puffery.” Thus, according to the defendants, any claim to a breach of implied warranty remains barred by its express warranty.

The plaintiffs are having none of it, pointing to various statements the company has made in its marketing about the safety of its vehicles as well as the fact that Chrysler’s motto is “Safety first. Safety always.”

Well, maybe not - as ongoing problems with the Chrysler Dodge Ram Recalls appear to show.

The case is Shaun Sater et al. v. Chrysler Group LLC, case number 5:14-cv-00700, in the US District Court for the Central District of California.