A lawsuit alleges that a defective transmission control unit in certain 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 vehicles causes them to suddenly shift into neutral.
As asserted in the complaint, the defect is related to deterioration of the glue used to connect certain electrical components. This defect “causes catastrophic failure whereby the power supply for the [transmission control unit] might be interrupted while driving,” which, without warning, causes the transmission to shift into neutral and the vehicle to coast to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash. As further alleged in the complaint, Mercedes-Benz issued a safety recall report around February 2021 voluntarily recalling four vehicles containing such defective transmission control units, then subsequently issued additional recall notices for additional affected vehicles in 2021 and 2022.
The named Plaintiff, California resident Keisha Corona, alleges her 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 has this defect. However, she claims she never received a recall notice for her vehicle, although she had to take her vehicle in for repair in December 2021 after it went into neutral while she was driving on the highway at a speed of 60-70 mph. She contends Mercedes-Benz knew of the defect based on prerelease testing, repair data, replacement part sales data, consumer complaints, and other internal information, and has known about it since July 2018.
Corona raises claims including fraud by omission, violation of state consumer and advertising laws, and unjust enrichment. She seeks remedies including damages and restitution.
The case is Keisha Corona v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, et al., case number 2:22-cv-02962-DSF-SK, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
