FCA US, the American division of the Stellantis concern, is facing a new class-action lawsuit over a faulty electric seat height adjuster in millions of popular models. Plaintiffs claim that the defective part can lead to the sudden collapse of the seat frame during a collision, endangering the lives of the driver and passengers. This was reported by Autoblog, writes UNN.
Details
At the center of the lawsuit is a height adjuster bracket, no larger than a chewing gum pad, but performing the critical function of holding the seat.
According to the complaint, this element is prone to breaking during rear-end collisions, causing the seat to instantly drop and the passenger to shift. Lawyers provided results of independent tests where the part broke at speeds as low as 40 km/h, effectively moving the person out of the effective range of seatbelts and airbags.
Accusations of concealing risks to consumers
Plaintiffs insist that FCA and Lear knew about design and testing flaws but deliberately failed to warn buyers about the danger.
The lawsuit states that such an approach is a gross violation of safety standards, as the car's protection systems are designed for a fixed passenger position, which is lost when the seat breaks. Stellantis has not yet provided official comments regarding a possible recall of vehicles or plans for an out-of-court settlement of claims.