Auto Parts Class Action Settlement ($1 Billion Covering Most New Cars Bought Since 1995)

July 12, 2018 By Jonathan Ping 7 Comments
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Here’s a big Auto Parts Class Action lawsuit with over $1 billion in total settlements across many different suppliers. The lawsuit claims that multiple auto parts manufacturers conspired together to keep their prices high (“price-fixing”). This was serious, as some automotive executives were actually sentenced to prison terms. If you bought or leased a new vehicle, or bought replacement parts at any time between 1995 and 2018, you could be eligible for compensation. Thanks to reader Gary for the tip.

To get monetary compensation, you’ll have to live on one of the following states per Car and Driver (emphasis mine):

Consumers in the following 30 states and the District of Columbia are eligible for some kind of compensation: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. States not on the list do not have laws permitting recovery of funds in antitrust cases for indirect purchasers, according to a plaintiff’s attorney.

An actual award amount is not given as it depends on how many people file a claim. I don’t see a deadline for filing a claim right now, but there is a deadline of July 13th, 2018 if you want to exclude yourself from the settlement class.

The car list looks like it includes most new vehicle makes and models since 1995. I started filling out the claim form and they require VIN number and documentation of purchase. I looked through their FAQ and couldn’t find exactly what kind of documentation they were looking for. I’ll have to dig that up later. You can upload a PDF or snail mail them the proof.

Bottom line. If you’ve bought or leased a new vehicle, or bought replacement parts at any time between 1995 and 2018, you could be eligible for this auto parts class action. That covers a lot of people, but you’ll also need to provide documentation of purchase. Expect to file a claim now, forget about it after a few years, and then a check will show up one day. (Hope you don’t move soon!)

Filed Under: Deals & Offers
Last updated: July 12, 2018
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Comments

  1. Joshua Katt says
    July 12, 2018 at 6:13 am

    Thanks for this. A Billion dollars to cover all new cars sold in 23 years, even if only a tiny fraction make a claim? Expect a few pennies years from now. But to the class action lawyers, 33-40% of the pot is quite the haul. That is why these suits are undertaken.

    Reply
  2. Been there, done that says
    July 12, 2018 at 8:33 am

    My experience with these class action lawsuits has been we wait for several years then get a check for $5 after the lawyers take their huge cut. Or worse, a notice saying, “Your share of the settlement is less than $2 so we are not issuing a check.”

    Reply
  3. Aaron says
    July 12, 2018 at 11:41 am

    From the FAQ, under “How do I Submit a Claim?”: “No deadline has been set yet by the Court for the submission of claims, but you can file your claim now.”

    Reply
  4. Ron says
    July 12, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    Lot of lawyer hating here. But keep in mind that the lawyers are the ones who pay the bills to generate these suits and not all of them pay out.

    Perhaps your hate should be directed at the decision makers/leaders of the corporations themselves. The threat of class action suits leading to huge payouts and costs defending them are one of the few tools left to get business leaders to act ethically and legally in this country.

    Reply
  5. Harish says
    July 17, 2018 at 7:47 am

    Thanks for this very useful post, MMB. Do you know if there is a way to upload the PDF file with proof of purchase after you’ve registered and file a claim? Or once you’ve done that the only way is to send them the documentation through snail mail?
    -TIA

    Reply
  6. Art says
    March 14, 2019 at 3:45 pm

    I think the lawyers should keep it all. It incentivize’s them to go after crooked companies. We all benefit!!

    Reply

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