— Fiat Chrysler is on the receiving end of a $5.2 billion proposed class-action lawsuit in Canada after the automaker got pounded in the U.S. over recall failures.
Merchant Law Group filed the lawsuit after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined Chrysler $105 million following an investigation into the automaker's handling of 23 recalls.
Part of the agreement in the U.S. is the potential buyback of 193,000 Ram trucks and providing incentives to owners of 1.5 million Jeeps at risk of fires in rear-end collisions. However, that deal only applies to Chrysler owners in the U.S., which allegedly is what caused the Canadian law firm to take action for that country.
Canadian safety advocates have long complained the national safety agency, Transport Canada, lacks the legal authority to strongly enforce auto safety.
Merchant Law Group says the following Fiat Chrysler vehicles are included in the $5.2 billion lawsuit:
- 1993-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 2011-2014 Dodge Durango
- 2004-2012 Dodge Ram 1500
- 2005-2014 Dodge Ram 2500
- 2006-2014 Dodge Ram 3500
- 2010-2014 Ram 4500, and 5500 trucks
- 2008-2012 Dodge Ram 5500
- 2014-2015 Ram 5500
- 2007; 2009 Chrysler Aspen
- 2004 -2013 Dodge Durango
- 2005-2007 Dodge Dakota
- 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota
- 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty
- 2008-2012 Dodge Ram 4500
- 2014-2015 Ram 4500
- 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country
- 2008-2010 Dodge Grand Caravan
- 2009-2010 Dodge Journey
- 2006-2008 Jeep Commander
- 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum
- 2015 Chrysler 200
- 2005-2014 Chrysler 300
- 2005-2007 Chrysler 300C
- 2011-2015 Dodge Challenger
- 2006; 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
- 2005-2007 Chrysler SRT8
- 2003-2014 Dodge Viper
Merchant Law Group is filing legal complaints across Canada, including courts in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. However, the lawsuit doesn't include 1.4 million Chrysler vehicles recently recalled in the U.S. to prevent hackers from controlling the vehicles.
Chrysler vehicles in Canada apparently have different cellular configurations that prevent the cars from being hacked as in the case of the Jeep that was thrown off the road remotely.
Read complaints about the vehicles named in the Canadian lawsuit:
- Dodge Viper
- Ram 1500
- Ram 2500
- Ram 3500
- Ram 4500
- Ram 5500
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Jeep Cherokee
- Dodge Durango
- Chrysler 200
- Chrysler 300
- Dodge Charger
- Dodge Challenger
- Chrysler Aspen
- Dodge Dakota
- Jeep Liberty
- Chrysler Town and Country
- Dodge Grand Caravan
- Dodge Journey
- Jeep Commander
- Dodge Magnum
- Mitsubishi Raider
