— A Mercedes-Benz class action lawsuit has been dismissed after the judge ruled he can't figure out what the defect is supposed to be.
The lawsuit involves 2021-present Mercedes vehicles equipped with 21-inch wheels that are supposedly not able to withstand the weight of the vehicles.
The problem allegedly causes “sudden and repeated tire blowouts, tire punctures, sidewall bubbling, tire deflation, and cracked rims that necessitate costly repairs and replacements.”
The class action says Mercedes knew about the problem but failed to warn consumers.
According to the class action, the Mercedes vehicles suffer tire punctures, tire deflation, cracked rims and sidewall bubbling that force customers to pay for expensive repairs.
Bringing a vehicle to a dealership for repairs supposedly did no good because repairs were denied even when a vehicle was covered by its warranty.
Mercedes 21-Inch Wheels Lawsuit Dismissed
Mercedes-Benz argues the fraud-based claims should be dismissed because it disclosed the load limitation and the possibility of tire damage not only on the vehicles, but also the tires and owner's manuals.
“Overloaded tires may overheat and burst as a consequence. Large wheels have a smaller section width. As the section width decreases, the risk of wheels and tires being damaged when driving over obstacles increases.” — Mercedes owner's manual
Owners are also told where to find the maximum tire load on the tire, where to find the loading information printed on the vehicle, and how to calculate the correct load limit.
The manuals are also available to download prior to purchasing a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
According to Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr.:
"These statements underscore the shapelessness of the Named Plaintiffs’ allegations. They do not, however, point to what the actual defect is."
The judge found a passing reference in the wheels lawsuit that “Mercedes knew or should have known the bumper covers and air inlets were defective and prone to put drivers in a dangerous position due to the inherent risk of the Wheel Configuration Defect.”
But the judge found there is no further reference to the "bumper covers or air inlets or explanation as to how they are defective or cause risk to the driver or the vehicle."
The Mercedes 21-inch wheels lawsuit also includes complaints from owners, but the judge found the complaints suggest the problem is not the vehicles but instead the Pirelli tires that Mercedes-Benz uses.
In dismissing the class action, the judge says:
"After reading all of this, one is left wondering what defect is even being alleged. That is fatal to these claims. Because of the vagueness of the Named Plaintiffs’ claims, the Court cannot even discern what disclosures the Plaintiffs would find to be sufficient."
The plaintiffs who filed the class action are David Chappell, Richard Baldwin, Michelle Cockerham, Upender Reddy Gone, and Nidal Barakat.
The Mercedes-Benz 21-inch wheels class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta Division): David Chappell v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Heber Law Firm LLC, and Capstone Law APC.