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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Class Says Fiat Chrysler Sells Bad Technology

(CN) - The American subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is selling Jeeps that feature a voice-activated "infotainment" system that does not work as promised, a class action claims.

In a complaint in the Ashland, Ky. Federal Court, Lead plaintiff Duane Kiser says he bought a 2015 Jeep Renegade, and paid an extra $1,245 for an infotainment system called Uconnect.

"Plaintiff specifically purchased this Vehicle, with this Uconnect version, because it provided a navigation feature, a Weather Map mobile app, and a Wi-Fi 'hot spot,' through which Plaintiff could obtain internet access," the June 15 complaint says.

According to Kiser, since he purchased the vehicle in June 2015, the system has not worked.

"Plaintiff has taken the Vehicle to Grayson Chrysler Jeep Dodge, a dealership in Grayson, Kentucky, for attempted service and repair of the Uconnect system on no fewer than eight occasions, resulting in the loss of use of his vehicle for approximately 75 days," the complaint states.

The dealership replaced the system but it still did not work, Kiser says.

"After his last visit to the dealership, the service advisor informed Plaintiff that, according to a regional service manager employed by Defendant, there was no problem with Plaintiff's Vehicle because all Jeep Renegades with the Uconnect system version 6.5/RA4 would fail in the same way," the class action says.

Kiser claims the automaker, FCA US LLC, is ripping consumers off by marketing a system rife with known glitches.

"[Defendant] designed, developed, engineered, and programmed a proprietary voice-activated, in-dash infotainment system known as Uconnect ... at least one of the Uconnect systems available on the model-year 2015 Jeep Renegade, version 6.5/RA4, does not work as intended, marketed, or warranted by Defendant," the complaint states.

FCA US LLC, formerly known as Chrysler, is the American subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The defendant designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes and sells such brands as Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat.

Kiser, on behalf of the class, is suing FCA US for violation of the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act; Violation of Kentucky Consumer Protection Act; violation of West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act; Unfair, False, and Deceptive Trade Practices; Breach of Express Warranty; and Breach of Common Law Warranty.

He seeks punitive and compensatory damages, as well as attorney's fees.

Matthew Lockaby of Lexington, Ky. represents the plaintiff and did not respond to an email from Courthouse News seeking comment.

The media relations team at FCA US also did not immediately respond to an email from Courthouse News.

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