A class action lawsuit filed this week claims Kia sold vehicles with defective rear backup camera mounting clips.
Alleged Defect
The named plaintiff, South Carolina resident Vermell Singletary, claims the rearview camera housing has mounting clips that may break. This allows the camera to fall out of position and makes the vehicle more likely to crash, Singletary asserts, particularly while reversing.
Recall
Citing news of an August 2023 Kia recall, Singletary seeks to represent persons who purchased or leased 2022-2023 model years of the Kia Sorento, Kia Sorento Hybrid, or Kia Sorento Plug in Hybrid. She brings the action on behalf of a nationwide class and a South Carolina subclass.
Singletary claims her 2022 Kia Sorento is included in the recall, although she learned of the alleged defect on social media instead of from Kia. She argues the recall, which requires Kia to repair and replace the faulty parts, will cost her hours of her time, and does not offer any reasonably foreseeable guarantee the defect will be permanently resolved.
Legal Claims
The lawsuit raises claims of breach of warranty, negligent design defect, fraud, unjust enrichment, and negligence. Singletary seeks remedies including damages, interest, and attorney fees.
The case is Vermell Singletary v. Kia America, Inc., case number 8:23-cv-01955, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
