Lawsuit Claims FCA Cheated on Diesel-Powered Ram Pickups

A lawsuit filed in a federal court in Detroit claims Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Cummins Inc. falsely promoted as "clean diesels" some 500,000 Ram fullsize pickup trucks that in fact grossly exceeded U.S. emission limits.

The 710-page complaint claims the engines use a defeat device to bypass or limit the performance of their nitrogen oxides emission control system during normal driving conditions. The suit seeks class-action status on behalf of about 500,000 owners nationwide.

The targeted trucks are 2008-2014 model Ram 2500/3500 heavy-duty pickups, all fitted with 6.7-liter V-8 diesels supplied by Cummins.

The lawsuit claims a special reduction catalytic converter intended to capture NOx and reduce them to harmless oxygen and nitrogen gas is “defective” and allows real-world emissions as much as 14 times the regulatory limit. The complaint asserts that excess NOx from the engine overpowered the converter, thereby reducing fuel economy and wearing out the device prematurely. Replacing the unit costs $3,000-$5,000, according to the filing.

The complaint declares that FCA and Cummins violated the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act by deceiving customers and regulators with false environmental claims about the engines.