Yet another class action lawsuit has been filed against Jeep and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) over corrosion problems with the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator.
The Jeep Wrangler Rust Corrosion Class Action Lawsuit (Orozco, et al., vs. FCA US LLC ) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and alleges the Jeep Wrangler corrosion warranties are a “sham”. The lawsuit includes 2018-2021 Jeep Wrangler and 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiator models.
The Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Gladiators suffer from corrosion, resulting in rust development on the doors panels and door hinges. Additionally, the corrosion causes the Jeep Wrangler’s paint to peel, flake, bubble or blister.
Three plaintiffs who filed the Jeep Wrangler Rust class action are:
- A Louisiana Jeep Wrangler customer who bought a new 2018 Jeep Wrangler
- A Maine customer, who purchased a new 2020 Jeep Gladiator
- Two Florida owners bought a new 2019 Jeep Wrangler while living in New York.
The Rusting Began in 2018
The Jeep Rust Class Action Lawsuit alleges that Fiat Chrysler (FCA) began using aluminum in body panels and chassis on the newly designed Jeep Wranglers to increase fuel efficiency.
In the Jeep Wrangler brochures, announcing the newly designed 2018 Jeep Wrangler, Jeep boasted “LIGHTER IN WEIGHT High-strength steel and lightweight aluminum are used throughout the doors, hood, windshield frame, and fenders to help Wrangler shed over 90 kg. It’s environmentally friendly, durable, and aids efficiency.”
The use of aluminum helped decrease the 2018 Jeep Wrangler weight by 200 pounds resulting in increased fuel efficiency. However, Jeep owners suffer the heavy burden of rusting door hinges and door panels.
The Jeep Rust class action lawsuit claims Chrysler have not recalled the rusting Jeep Wranglers but instead issued in March 2018 a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 31-001-18 titled “Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair”. The Bulletin recommended, “the suspect[ed] aluminum hood, door, or liftgate panel in the 2018 Jeep Wranglers be inspected for corrosion and if necessary, removed and refinished.”
According to the class-action lawsuit, the 2018 Jeep Corrosion Rust TSB directed Jeep dealers to apply pre-treatment wipes and an anti-corrosion pen on corroded rusted door panels and hinges prior to refinishing aluminum panels.
Then on October 27, 2020, FCA issued TSB 31-002-20, which includes the 2020-2021 Jeep Wrangler and the 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiator.
Jeep Wrangler warranty is a “sham?”
The Jeep Wranglers originally came with a 3-year, unlimited mileage, and corrosion warranty for corrosion to “sheet metal panels”.
Interestingly, Jeep extended the corrosion warranty from 3 to 5 years covering corrosion and rust to the “outer-body sheet metal panel,” which FCA defined as “one that is finish-painted and that someone can see when walking around the vehicle.”
According to the Jeep corrosion warranty:
The 5 year corrosion warranty covers the cost of all parts and labor needed to repair or replace any sheet metal panels that get holes from rust or other corrosion. If a hole occurs because of something other than corrosion, this warranty does not apply. Cosmetic or surface corrosion…resulting, for example, from stone chips or scratches in the paint…is not covered.”
The Jeep Wrangler Rust Corrosion Class Action Lawsuit calls the Jeep corrosion warranty misleading and deceptive calling it a “Sham”, stating:
“It is well known throughout the industry that aluminum body panels do not perforate as a result of corrosion, and therefore FCA knew that its customers would never be able to utilize the corrosion warranty since perforation of the body panels was a prerequisite for coverage,”
The plaintiffs proclaim the Jeep Rust TSB repairs do not repair the corrosion rust problems in the Jeep Wranglers.
More importantly, the TSB only directs dealers to repaint the rusted panels, instead of replacing the panels. As such, the repainted Jeeps are diminished in value compared to ones that are not repainted.
Other Jeep Wrangler Owners Suffer Rust Corrosion Problems
Many Jeep Wrangler owners are experiencing rust corrosion issues. One owner states in Car Complaints:
“Within a week with no wear or tear -14000 miles; ALL hinges on all doors as well as the door panels are corroding from the inside out. Huge safety issue”
Another Florida Jeep Wrangler owner mentions on Car Complaints:
“Rust bubbling up under paint around for hinges. The rust is only evident on the top hinges of both doors (vehicle only has two doors). The dealership refused to fix it and called it a paint imperfection. However the rust spot is increasing in size and new spots are developing.”
Among the long list of Jeep Wrangler corrosion complaints, this one from an Edmunds review is telling:
“the frame of the Jeep has…bad welds, [and] there is rust and oxidation on the vehicle at the weld points. 2 of those points are rusting”
Does your Jeep Wrangler have Corrosion Rust? Let Us Know!
If you have also experienced rust corrosion or paint problems with your 2018-2021 Jeep Wrangler, or 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiator you may qualify for lemon law relief. You may be eligible for a new Jeep, refund or cash compensation and the lemon law requires that all attorney fees be paid by Jeep.
If you own or lease a Jeep with rust or paint problems, you may have a lemon law case under NY Lemon Law, HI Lemon Law, NJ Lemon Law, or PA Lemon Law
If you have experienced rust corrosion or paint defects with your Jeep Wrangler or Jeep Gladiator, contact us today for a free consultation. Our experienced lemon law attorneys can be reached by calling 1-800-MY-LEMON or 1-800-695-3666
