A proposed class action filed in California contends Mercedes-Benz unlawfully failed to provide a statutorily compliant California Emissions Warranty for vehicles distributed in California.
As alleged in the complaint, California law requires all vehicle manufacturers to ensure all new motor vehicles sold in the state to have a “statutorily compliant” general emissions warranty—the requirements of which include coverage for defects that cause failure of a warranted part or the on-board diagnostic malfunction indicator light to illuminate, for the earlier of 3 years or 50,000 miles. A “warranted part” is a part “which affects any regulated emission from a motor vehicle of engine,” and in the case of a ”high-priced” warranted part, the manufacturer must extend the emissions warranty to the earlier of 7 years or 70,000 miles.
The proposed class representative alleges that engine pistons installed in certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles are high-priced, emissions related parts that should have been covered by the longer warranty, but in an effort to minimize warranty costs, Mercedes-Benz excluded many parts—including engine pistons—from being covered under Mercedes-Benz’s emissions warranty as “high-priced” warranted parts.
The class action asserts claims including violations of California business and consumer laws and seeks an order that, among other things, would declare the engine piston in the class vehicles to be an “emissions-related” and “high-priced” warranty part.
The case is Sergio Betancourt v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, case number 4:22-cv-05898-KAW, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
