A putative class action alleges that a defect in 2017/2018 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) causes them to explode and catch fire, with no known fix.
As alleged in the lawsuit, Defendant recalled the affected vehicles in February 2022 and asked the owners to abstain from plugging in their vehicles or parking near buildings or other cars after an internal investigation uncovered twelve vehicle fires. However, the complaint contends, Defendant admits the cause of the fires is unknown, and no remedy exists—with 19,808 minivans included in the recall.
Plaintiff Robyn Reilman, a California resident, claims that since the recall, she has been left with a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV that “could catch fire at any second.” She asserts that when she called the phone number on the recall notice to see if she could proceed with a buyback request, her request was denied without a clear explanation, and she was instead advised to park in an empty lot somewhere.
The lawsuit raises claims including violation of California consumer laws, breach of warranty, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation, and seeks remedies including damages and interest.
The case is Robyn Reilman v. FCA US, LLC, case number 8:22-cv-00811-CJC-ADS, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
