Class-action suit for Jeep

Jeep Grand Cherokee owners filed suit in California against Fiat Chrysler, accusing the automaker of concealing and failing to fix a gearshift design issue linked to driverless rollaway accidents. The suit follows the death of Star Trek actor, Anton Yelchin, who was crushed between his mailbox and his Jeep Grand Cherokee after the car rolled down the steep driveway. The class-action complaint alleges the issue affects 811,000 vehicles, including select model years of Jeep Grand Cherokees, Chrysler 300s and Dodge Chargers. It further alleges that Fiat concealed the design defect and did not disclose hundreds of related accidents that caused injuries and damage to property. The plaintiffs also allege that negative publicity surrounding the gearshifts has significantly reduced the resale value of their vehicles. The company has declined to comment, with spokesman Michael Palese saying that Fiat Chrysler had yet to be served with the lawsuit and it would be inappropriate to comment before the company had reviewed the case. The head of Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep brand, Mike Manley, says software updates for 1.1 million Jeep vehicles recalled for the issue will be available by the end of this month. The cars have a joystick-style automatic transmission level which returns to a central position.