— A 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander hood recall should have been issued to repair hoods that flutter and bounce.
That opinion comes from owners of 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander SUVs who argue the hoods should have caused a recall shortly after the first vehicles were sold.
The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander hood allegedly flutters and bounces more violently as the driver increases speed.
The Outlander hood flutter lawsuit includes:
"All persons or entities in the United States who bought or leased any 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander."
Without a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander hood recall, customers are allegedly forced to drive vehicles that are dangerous because the hoods flutter and bounce and distract drivers.
The plaintiffs contend Mitsubishi knew the hoods fluttered before the Outlanders were even sold.
The class action alleges owners of 2022 Mitsubishi Outlanders notice the bouncing hoods shortly after buying the SUVs, but dealerships supposedly cannot repair the problems.
According to the plaintiffs, several technical service bulletins have been issued about the hoods, but there still has been no 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander hood recall.
What appears to be the last 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander hood flutter bulletin was issued in December 2021 and titled, “Modified Hood For Hood Flutter - 2022 Outlander.”
"This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers informing them when customers express concerns with hood fluttering, the hood should be replaced with a new modified hood and new weatherstrip." — TSB-21-42A-011
But the following month in January 2022, Mitsubishi issued a notice to dealerships about TSB-21-42A-011.
The notice said, “vehicles produced after 11/11/2021 have the reinforced hood installed on the production line and do not require hood replacement or the other previously released TSB’s. This new hood with the added reinforcement has essentially eliminated the flutter condition. These vehicles are now arriving at your dealerships so please be aware of this clean point.”
The class action lawsuit alleges this “essentially eliminated the flutter condition” but "did not entirely eliminate the Hood Defect."
And according to the Outlander hood flutter lawsuit, a replacement Mitsubishi hood may be painted a different color that doesn't match the rest of the vehicle.
Even fuel economy is allegedly affected due to the Outlander bouncing hoods.
The plaintiffs argue Mitsubishi has known the hoods were defective "because of the higher than expected number of warranty repair claims submitted to Mitsubishi by its dealers, which should have alerted Mitsubishi that these parts or components were defective."
However, the lawsuit doesn't allege how many hood warranty claims have been submitted by dealers.
And as asserted by plaintiffs in every automotive class action:
"Had Plaintiffs and the Class Members known about the Hood Defect, they would not have purchased the Class Vehicles, or would have paid substantially less for them."
Those 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander owners who filed the hood flutter class action lawsuit include:
- Oral Damocles / Illinois
- Justin Haller / Wisconsin
- Brett Halliday / New York
- Rocco Russo / Florida
- Joseph Everly / West Virginia
- Everett Fields / Ohio
- Jessica Gentry / Texas
- Sarah Greendale / South Carolina
- Vincent Viner / South Carolina
- Brittony Guillen / Texas
- Latoya Young / North Carolina
- Suzanne Westcott / Georgia
- Michelle Welch / Washington
- Deborah Paraday / Colorado
- Rachel Teras / Maine
The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander hood flutter class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle of Tennessee: Oral Damocles, et al., v. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Lafferty Law Firm, Inc., and Lemberg Law, LLC.