Fiat Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Class Action Claims Defect Sparks Spontaneous Fires

Consumers who lost their Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid vehicles in spontaneous fires are now putting Fiat Chrysler in the hot seat with a class action lawsuit asserting that a dangerous electrical system defect put them and other Canadian families at risk.

The Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid was subject to a Transport Canada Recall in June of 2020 over reports of a defect in the electrical system that could cause spontaneous fires. Nearly 3,500 vehicles were included in the recall; however, several owners had already experienced unexpected fires in their Pacificas.

Now, several of these Pacifica owners have joined in a proposed class action lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler alleging the carmaker should have known of the defect and done more to protect consumers.

“The van filled with smoke so fast,” Plaintiff Marisa Chong said in a news release issued when the class action lawsuit was filed. “We were lucky to have an extinguisher but the flames kept coming back. What if I were driving with my kids? What if it were parked in my garage?”

Another woman who experienced a fire in her Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid echoed concerns about the devastating effect of the vehicle fire her family experienced.

“As parents, I cannot describe how concerned we are about the potential psychological consequences to our children,” said Plaintiff Emil Florea in the news release. “They regularly travelled in our Pacifica and even witnessed the fire themselves.”

The proposed class action lawsuit wants Fiat Chrysler to acknowledge the defect and danger it poses to the public.

“Canadian consumers expect that the cars they put their families in will be reasonably safe to operate and free from dangerous defects,” a lawyer representing the plaintiffs in the news release said. “They are entitled to timely and warnings from manufacturers who know, or ought to know, that their products are dangerously defective.”

“We are concerned by the unexplained inaction by Fiat Chrysler following numerous reports of spontaneous vehicle fires in the months prior to Transport Canada ordering its recall,” the lawyer also pointed out. “Car manufacturers need to do more to prioritize consumers and the safety of their vehicles.”

Do you own a Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid subject to the electrical system defect recall? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.

The lead plaintiffs and proposed Class Members are represented by Joel P. Rochon of Rochon Genova LLP.

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