- Arizona Attorney General filed a new lawsuit against Cummins and FCA for illegal emissions defeat devices.
- The lawsuit claims there are over 23,600 owners of the affected models in Arizona.
Cummins and Stellantis are getting sued again for Ram trucks equipped with faulty Cummins diesel engines by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. The new lawsuit blames the companies for the higher-than-advertised emissions of their trucks, seeking justice for Ram owners in Arizona.
According to the Attorney General, more than 23,600 people in the state own examples from the affected vehicle population that emits illegal levels of nitrogen oxides. Models affected are 2013-2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with the 6.7-liter Cummins engine.
More: Ram To Settle Diesel Class Action For $6 Million, Or Just $100 Per Truck
The lawsuit claims that the diesel-powered trucks were falsely advertised as “super clean alternatives, suggesting they were more powerful and efficient than gasoline vehicles, without the same negative environmental impact”. These particular models allegedly came with “illegal emissions defeat devices installed in them” allowing them to bypass EPA emissions testing.
The lawsuit seeks “injunctive relief, restitution, disgorgement, civil penalties, plus fees and costs”, on behalf of the Arizona state against the defendants.
2019 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Megacab
In her official statement, Attorney General Mayes said: “Deceptive practices that harm our environment and deceive consumers will not be tolerated. By promoting their vehicles as eco-friendly while secretly violating emissions standards, Cummins and FCA have betrayed the trust of Arizonans and violated our state’s consumer protection laws. I am committed to holding these companies accountable and ensuring that justice is served for the people of Arizona.”
The first class action lawsuit for the same issue was filed by 17 Ram owners back in 2017 and is expected to reach a settlement this year. According to the preliminary agreement, Cummins will pay up $4.8 million, and Chrysler another $1.2 million, although each plaintiff will only receive $5,000 in compensation. However, the original lawsuit doesn’t cover owners in Arizona, being limited to the states of Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
On December 2023, Cummins agreed to pay a historic $1.675 billion fine to settle allegations of using emissions defeat devices. These were allegedly installed in 630,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks from the 2013-2019 model years, and another 330,000 examples from the 2019 to 2023 model years. The fine was the largest ever under the Clean Air Act, and the second-largest environmental penalty in US history.
