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hrysler was hit with a class action lawsuit by a California couple over the Dodge Dart, alleging that the vehicle was made with a faulty transmission that makes it potentially unsafe.
Plaintiffs Joshua and Marta Hardt of Huntington Beach, California purchased a Dodge Dart on Sept. 29, 2012 from a local Chrysler/Dodge dealer.
The Dodge Dart the Hardts purchased came with a manual transmission, which comes with a driver-controlled clutch.
These work by the driver “pressing and releasing a foot pedal, the driver engages and disengages the engine from the transmission, allowing the vehicle to travel smoothly while the driver manually changes gears.”
However, in April, the Hardts began to notice that there was a defect in the transmission, which included “the vehicle backfiring and turning off at a stoplight and then failing to start again.”
The Hardts took the Dodge Dart to an authorized Chrysler dealer to be repaired but “the service advisor was unable to detect any fault codes and stated that the condition was not present when inspected,” according to the Dodge Dart class action lawsuit.
“The service advisor also indicated that they were unable to replicate the problem,” the Hardts explain. “The vehicle was returned to the plaintiffs after one week.”
On May 13, the Hardts contacted the Chrysler dealer’s service department again to say that “when Mr. Hardt attempted to start the vehicle and pressed down on the clutch pedal, the clutch fell to the floor.”
They brought the vehicle back to be looked at by service department, but “the service advisor later informed plaintiffs that no problem could be found with the clutch, that no repairs were performed or recommended at the time, and that plaintiffs could pick up their vehicle.”
However, when Mr. Hardt came to pick up his car at the dealership the next morning, both the “Check Engine” and “Oil Change Due” lights were on, and he left the Dodge Dart at the dealership to have these issues looked at.
When he came back that evening to pick up the vehicle the “Oil Change Due” light was still on and there was “an alignment issue that surfaced while they were driving back home,” they claim in the Dodge Dart class action lawsuit.
Mrs. Hardt talked to the service department manager on May 16 about all the problems they had experienced with their Dodge Dart.
On May 19, the service advisor claims that “the dealership contacted Chrysler STAR, Chrysler’s engineer/technical team, which had indicated that the clutch master cylinder and the clutch slave cylinder needed to be replaced.”
The Hardts vehicle was repaired and returned to them on May 29.
However, the California couple claim in their Dodge Dart class action lawsuit that “despite repair attempts by Chrysler and its dealers, plaintiffs continue to experience the Transmission Defect, including, but not limited to grinding, harsh engagement, and premature internal wear.”
The Hardts allege that they were sold the Dodge Dart with “manufacturing defects that cause, among other problems, the clutch pedal to ‘go soft’ and remain depressed to the floor; the transmission to fail to engage or disengage; the gear shift to burn out; the clutch and transmission to burn out; and stalling and/or failure to accelerate or decelerate.”
They allege that the defect causes a safety hazard.
The Hardts also claim in their Dodge Dart class action lawsuit that Chrysler “knew or should have known that the Class Vehicles and Manual Transmission contained one or more design and/or manufacturing defects.” They also allege that “Chrysler has actively concealed the transmission defect.”
The same problem allegedly exists in some of the Dodge Journeys and Fiat C635s, which were made with the same transmissions.
The Chrysler class action lawsuit is for those who leased or purchased 2013 and 2014 Dodge Darts with a manual transmission.
The plaintiffs are represented by Jordan L. Lurie, Robert Friedl, Tarek H. Zohdy and Cody R. Padgett of Capstone Law APC.
Counsel information for Chrysler is not yet available.
The Dodge Dart Class Action Lawsuit is Hardt et al v. Chrysler Group LLC, Case No. 8:14-cv-01375, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
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12 thoughts onDodge Dart Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Defective Transmissions
I purchased a 2015 doge dart it started to leak oil and burning it my back up camar my radio and middle rear lights don’t work I have other cars same year 2015 and they all work except doge dart I regret buying this car for my elderly parents so disappointed with doge I wish they would fix the cars problems I’m the first owner of that car got it brand new
I have a 2015 dodge dart that currently is in the dealer and has been for 2 weeks. The techs could not even find a code to diagnose the vehicle but after a week they are stating the car has internal engine damage. The car is covered under powertrain warranty but that I the customer is responsible for the tear down of engine if the cause of engine failure isnt covered. What kind of mess is that? I dont know what I can do to go after dodge. This car has had so many issues in the past as I want Chrysler to buy there defective vehicle back. I do not know what kind of lawyer I should be pursuing.
To any Dodge dart owners it’s very frustrating and overwhelming but keep calling and making complaint after complaint to FCA, NHTSA, BBB, Federal Trade Commission, Attorney General,NCDS and do it over and over. So many Dodge dart consumers just give up and there is alot of complaints but not where they need to be so please please do this so maybe we will all get relief one day and they will see these cars are hazardous to even be put on the road. After 6 months I finally got someone’s attention so keep trying. Put in complaints with the dealerships as well as Chrysler FCA. Also on car complaints. Com
Same problems listed & the lemon law paperwork was a complete runaround plus after the brake’s failed causing me to loose control & crash insurance paid the loan off & I brought the car back but after submitting the extra coverage refund/reimbursement paperwork I NEVER received my refund for gap or anything!
I had very similar issues with my 2013 Dodge Dart. I had to have the engine replaced only to need a new one 6 months later, again. I am now having to purchase a new car because it’s not worth buying another engine.
This dodge dart stuff is really…REALLY messed up! I’m having the clutch/manual transmission issues: 2014 dart gt 2.4. The clutch started making a grinding noise when coasting in neutral. At 30K miles, the clutch pedal went to the floor and wouldn’t engage the engine. Towed to dealer, was told it needed a clutch at a minimum but they would have to get into the module to check for other issues. Oh and by the way, its gonna cost ya $1K just in labor to check it. If the clutch needs replacing it would be another $1.5-2K. So, if i had the work done there i would be payingi between $2.5k to $3k. I checked with a local shop that has certified mechanics…price wpuld be $2k…OH! Also the dealer says the clutch is only guarnteed.for 12months/12k miles! WHAT??? I’ve had 4 manual transmission nissans and drove all of them HARD! Way harder than i have driven this dodge. None of the nissans ever needed a cluch. Milage in all except 1 was over 150k.
Had work done at other shop. 6 months later clutch goes out again. Parts were still under warantee. Labor was 1200 . now the clutch&transmission is acting up again. No second gear now & clutch making noise. I’d be happy if they took this P.O.S. back, gave me all money spent on repairs and a few $K for a down payment on different make…Nissan, honda, kia…come on FCA! Own up to this below average level of quality product you have out there. I guarantee you that if not i will never buy any of your product line again. Nor will any of my 5 brothers or 5 sisters nor will any of my 4 children, 9 nieces or 6 nephews nor will any of their friends. Do the right thing.
Yo tengo un dart 2014 y me sucedió el mismo problema pero en alto total el embrague se queda abajo, cambiaron el sistema hidráulico en la agencia pero ya esta pasando nuevamente el mismo problema, hable a Chrysler que es quien lleva la marca y me dijeron que le darían seguimiento a mi caso, pero no me han vuelto a llamar, estoy pensando llevarlo nuevamente a servicio y exigir un cambio de auto, o por lo menos de caja manual a automática, que exista una mayor garantía.
Compre un dart sxt transmion manual 2014 me lo entregaron un 16 de enero del 2014 y el 01 de enero del 2015 tube un problema similar venia de viaje en un colina de bajada al meter el embrage para un cambio de velocidad el embrague se quedo pegado poniendo en riesgo mi vida y la de mis acompañantes ya demande por medio de la profeco pero aun asi no e tenido respuesta
Here is a letter I wrote to Dodge Corporate last week regarding a brief synopsis of what is going on with my vehicle. Since its posting, the owner of Koon’s dealerships in Virginia has not responded, the customer service manager has not responded (to me or to Dodge Corporate), and I am requesting help. This message was left on Dodge’s Facebook page and Krystal Koon’s blog post.
To support my claim, I can provide invoices, notes from conversations, postings, etc. In addition, I have had three claims opened with Dodge Customer Care. Those phone calls have all been recorded and there have been numerous since October. Also, phone calls I have made since October to Koon’s Dodge Call Center to make appointments have been recorded. If subpoenaed, they can be obtained
Good morning Krystal Koons/Dodge,
I wanted to leave a note here, in the hope of finding a way to speak with you regarding my 2013 Dodge Dart.
Krystal, I have had my car in the Tysons Dodge and Buick dealership in Tyson’s Corner, on and off since October for transmission issues, seat belt issues, electrical issues, and yet, more engine and transmission issues but my car is never fixed.
Back in October 2014, I brought in my car for engine issues/transmission issues four times. On the fourth time, the transmission was replaced. Do you know what was happening to me? I would be driving down 495, 395, or 123 and the engine/transmission would cut off on me and I would be stranded on the side of the road. Because the issues could not be duplicated, I remained in a faulty unit until finally the transmission was replaced. I said, what about my friends’ children who are with me? What about my dog or friends who are riding with me? What if someone hit me while my car was either on the side of the road or while trying to coast over to the edge of the road? Or worse off, what if I couldn’t coast to the side of the road and I was stuck in the middle of an interstate? Would you want that to happen to your sister or mother or friend, sitting in a car with screaming kids because a dealership could not replicate a problem over and over? Well, I could not go visit my mother for Thanksgiving in North Carolina because I was scared my car would die on the side of the road in rural NC somewhere, even after the transmission was replaced.
In November, my car was in the shop again for seat belt issues. The emergency seat belt light continued to come on, which terrified me because if I were to get into an accident, my seat belt may not have worked. So I called the dealership. The lady on the other line told me that the management didn’t classify the seat belt issue as an emergency (this was a Monday morning) so the earliest they could get me in was the Wednesday or Thursday of that week. I asked her, what happens if I get into an accident and my seat belt doesn’t work? She told me, I’m sorry but its not an emergency so there is nothing I could do. After 3-4 times of bringing my car in for that issue, the seat belt was replaced and the issue has not occurred since.
In December, my car’s check engine light started to come on, again. The radio/air conditioning/ipod/bluetooth, started changing channels and changing temperatures and levels on its own. The steering wheel started to make a cracking noise every time I turn the wheel. The trunk opens on its own, both while parked and driving (dangerous much?). Because I was out of state (not driving the vehicle) and then severely ill for much of that month and early January, I was not able to bring in the car until yesterday. Lyn and Mark both said they resolved the issues. The steering wheel issue, the trunk opening by itself, and the radio/air conditioning/ipod/blutooth stereo still have issues. So I called this morning, after notifying Mark via email last night about the trunk opening. Matt at the dealership told me that they actually could not fix the vehicle yesterday (which wasted my time and honestly your team’s) because the issues could not be duplicated. Please note, I provided a video to Lyn with the steering wheel noise, a picture of the check engine light, and a video of the radio changing stations.
In October, I opened my first case with Dodge Corporate. Twice my case was rejected by corporate saying that my car did not meet their lemon law requirements by that specific department. The case was reopened yesterday. Each time I spoke with your service office and a corporate representative, they all told me I was doing the best I could do regarding my car and the lemon law. Well, turns out, they all lied.
I spoke with the VA Attorney General Office regarding lemon law. They informed me that I had 18 months from the purchase date of the vehicle to report, in writing and certified mail, the issue and requesting action by the manufacturer. I am approximately 26 days outside of that 18 month mark now because my car was purchased on June 24, 2013. When I found out the purchase date, from the service office, I started to cry out of anger, betrayal, and just plain sadness at the treatment I have received at the dealership. I told everyone that I have been nothing but nice and kind and if I would have been a B* that I guarantee things would have been different. I looked at Lyn and two other ladies who know me, and told them they their office and corporate lied to me about the lemon law. Lyn looked at me with stern, uncaring, and unsympathetic eyes and told me that they would not give me a new car. Not an I’m sorry, nothing. She said that she did not know that there had to be something written to begin a lemon law case in the state of VA. Well, I spoke with Matt from service this morning, and he told me that he knows VA Lemon Law and that he knows I should have written a letter. Does that mean that his manager, Lyn Whitney, also knew and chose not to tell me?
I trusted the dealership and Dodge Corporate to have my best interest in mind. Well, I was wrong. I was lied to and betrayed, in the worst way. And now, there is nothing I can do besides continue to bring in a faulty vehicle every day to your dealership in hopes that the issues can eventually be resolved. I cannot afford to get into a new vehicle and the only thing the dealership can offer me is to put me into another Dodge Dart, a 2015, at new rates, new interest, and another run on my credit. That is the ONLY way the sales manager, general manager, and customer service manager say they can help me. So I would be stuck with another car that I have had nothing but problems with, at a dealership that has done nothing but lie to me.
On top of that, Corporate said that the information provided to them does not match the invoices the dealership gave to me. The information provided to the Corporate Case Manager is incorrect, not only based on what happened with my car, but also against the invoices I received from the service department. That is why my lemon claim was rejected twice. So there is another issue, both similar, regarding lies and most importantly, integrity. Dodge now has an integrity issue and I am stuck working with people who cannot and have not been able to help me.
I am scared to drive my car long distance because it could break down. I drove it for two hours for Christmas, and the steering wheel shook, and it started to feel like I had a tire bust. So how can I drive it to visit my mother in Hickory, NC? How can I drive it ANYWHERE long distance?
I NEED safe, reliable, and affordable transportation and Dodge cannot help me. Can you please find a way to help?
I am very hurt. I am very angry. I feel very betrayed. I feel unsafe in my vehicle. I feel like I pay for a car, out of my hard earned money (supporting Veterans, like you do in your off time, every single day), on something I am terrified of.
Bottom line, what can you do to help me make this right?
Is there an update to your story? Did you ever get them to buy your car back? Did you win a lemon lawsuit? I’m having issues with my dog start and I’m hoping it’s not just the beginning
same problems dealer found problem after warranty was up
I’ve had similar issues since I’ve gotten my car and dealer keeps telling me they can’t find the error code that another dealer found but I’m sure after warranty it will then be to late now after the recent update they did it’s back firing it never did before. .