— A Volvo satellite radio lawsuit alleges the remote digital audio receiver can drain the car battery even with the car shut down. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed by Massachusetts Volvo owner Theresa Jenner on behalf of owners of any Volvo vehicle equipped with a remote digital audio receiver.
Jenner claims Volvo has continued to install the allegedly defective satellite radios since at least 2008, and although a software update can fix the problem, the automaker refuses to cover the cost of the upgrade. The lawsuit alleges the battery drains because the satellite is always searching for a signal, regardless if the car is running or not.
The plaintiff claims she has replaced the battery numerous times and each time the automaker has said the satellite radio was the cause of the dead battery. Considering she was tired of replacing the battery, Jenner requested Volvo shut down the remote digital audio receiver.
However, the plaintiff claims she was told the satellite system is integrated with other electrical systems and the problem can only be remedied by paying hundreds of dollars to do a software upgrade.
The Volvo lawsuit alleges Volvo concealed the alleged defect which caused owners to pay for vehicles that aren't worth what they should be worth. The plaintiff accuses the automaker of violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The Volvo satellite radio lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey - Jenner v. Volvo Cars of North America LLC.
The plaintiff is represented by Williams Cuker Berezofsky LLC, the Law Offices of Peter N. Wasylyk, the Stanley Law Group, and the Law Office of Andrew Kierstead.