Safety scandal: Stellantis was suspected of covering up seat defects in 2 million cars

The class action lawsuit against the company involves Dodge and Chrysler vehicles manufactured from 2011 to 2023.

According to the lawsuit, a small part inside the power seat height adjustment mechanism could break in a rear impact. During crash tests at 40 km/h, this bracket broke and the seat dropped sharply.

The main danger is that the displacement of the driver or passenger’s body at the time of the accident disrupts the operation of safety systems. Seat belts and airbags designed for a person’s normal position may not operate effectively or protect the person at a critical moment.

The plaintiffs allege that FCA (Stellantis’ predecessor) and supplier Lear Corporation knew about the problem but deliberately concealed it to avoid costly redesign of the unit and a major recall. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy to conceal the defect, which, according to affected owners, also led to a decrease in the market value of the affected models.

The lawsuit includes popular models: Dodge Charger, Challenger, Dart, as well as Chrysler 200 and 300.

Stellantis has not yet filed a formal response in court. A judge will have to decide whether to upgrade the case to full class action status, which could take several months.

Earlier it was reported that the revived Russo-Balt brand promised to reduce prices.