The plaintiff seeks to represent anyone who has purchased or leased an impacted Volvo model
6 hours ago
- The plaintiff says Volvo’s recall diminishes the resale value of his 2020 XC60.
- Vehicles impacted by the recall include the XC60, XC90, S60, S90, V60, and V90.
- Volvo says the short-circuit increases the chance of its PHEVs catching fire.
In March, Volvo issued a global recall affecting nearly 73,000 of its plug-in hybrid vehicles due to a risk that they could short-circuit while parked and fully charged. Now, on top of the logistical nightmare of fixing that issue, the company is facing a lawsuit in Pennsylvania over the same alleged defect, albeit for a completely different reason.
A class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania accuses Volvo of violating multiple laws related to the manufacturing, marketing, advertising, selling, and servicing of its plug-in hybrid models. The plaintiff, B. Saleh, claims Volvo has been aware of the issue for some time but failed to inform customers.
Read: Volvo Tells Thousands Of Plug-In Hybrid Owners To Stop Charging
Saleh currently owns a 2020 Volvo XC60 and claims he was never informed about a potential battery issue when purchasing the vehicle. Although this could simply be because Volvo itself didn’t know about the problem itself when he purchased the SUV, the class action claims that he and other owners have now been left with devalued vehicles. According to the complaint, resale value will drop regardless of whether the recall actually solves the problem.
The issue reportedly stems from a potential short circuit in the high-voltage battery. Unlike typical hybrid battery placement, these batteries are located along the transmission tunnel instead of beneath the trunk floor. If these cells short-circuit, it could lead to “thermal runaway.” According to the class action, the failure has been caused by Volvo’s “improper engineering, design, or manufacturing.”
Volvo’s recall process will include an inspection to identify any cell deviations in impacted vehicles, a software update, and potentially the fitment of a new battery module. The lawsuit says this recall will cost the plaintiff “hours of his time.” Saleh also isn’t happy he’ll need to arrange transport to and from a certified Volvo mechanic and the cost of towing, which could cost $4.75 per mile.
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The lawsuit seeks to represent a broader group of buyers and lessees of the affected models, which include the 2020–2021 S90, 2020–2022 S60, 2020–2022 V60, 2020–2022 XC60, 2020–2022 XC90, and the 2022 V90. It calls for a jury trial and is pursuing financial damages.
