Do you own a 2014-2016 Ram 1500 or Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel? If so, then today’s your lucky day.
A California judge has approved the $800 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit over alleged emissions cheating. FCA received a consent decree from the Department of Justice, the California Air Resources Board and the state’s Attorney General, last February. The settlement was then approved by a federal judge last week, paving the way for consumer payouts and agreements with the EPA and all 50 states.
As part of the settlement, owners of 2014-2016 Ram 1500 pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVS equipped with the 3.0L EcoDiesel engine will receive the following:
- Up to $3,075 cash compensation for eligible owners
- Up to $2,460 cash compensation for partial owners
- Up to $990 cash compensation for eligible lessees and former lease holders
- Extended warranty coverage of up to 10 years from the date of initial sale, or 120,000 miles on the odometer, whichever comes first
- An updated emissions control software to be installed for free at the dealership
To see if your vehicle is eligible for the recall and payout, click here to check the VIN.
Owners have until Feb. 3, 2021 to submit a claim, while former owners and lease holders have until Aug. 1, 2019. Current owners have two years to receive the updated software in order to be eligible for the compensation.
However, note that the payout only applies to vehicles sold in the US. Units originally sold in Canada, even if registered in the US, are only eligible to receive the extended warranty and software update.
The company claims the software update, dubbed the Approved Emissions Modification, will not affect the vehicle’s average fuel economy or performance. Owners will be provided with a free loaner vehicle if the repair takes longer than three hours.
The whole debacle is expected to cost FCA about $400 million in consumer compensation and environmental mitigation, and an additional $305 million in penalties for violating California state laws as well as the Clean Air Act. Parts supplier Bosch will also pay out $27.5 million in owner compensation for being complicit in the alleged emissions cheating scheme.
FCA has established a dedicated settlement website outlining the requirements and claims process. Owners of affected vehicles can also call Fiat Chrysler’s customer hotline at 1-833-280-4748.
You can also read the court-approved legal notice here.