Land Rover hit with class action threat: See if you’re affected

Leading law firm Maurice Blackburn is looking to launch a new class action against a popular car brand that’ll potentially affect thousands of owners.

Jaguar Land Rover Australia could have a class action launched against it.

A legal firm has called for thousands of owners to join a class action against Jaguar Land Rover Australia for potentially faulty diesel vehicles, claiming they are unsafe.

The Maurice Blackburn class action centres on Land Rover and Jaguar diesel vehicles with potentially faulty diesel particulate filters (DPFs) sold or leased from 2011. It includes popular vehicles such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and the Jaguar E-Pace.

Maurice Blackburn is searching for owners of the affected vehicles.

A diesel particulate filter is designed to trap exhaust soot and then burn it off by heating the exhaust when the vehicle is travelling at highway speeds.

The class action claims the DPF system can become blocked under regular driving conditions.

It further alleges a clogged DPF can cause the vehicle to lose power suddenly, which poses a safety hazard to the drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

Vavaa Mawuli, the principal at Maurice Blackburn, said the firm had received complaints from owners about the issue.

Popular vehicles such as the Range Rover Evoque are part of the class action.

“Vehicles are a significant expense for many Australians and consumers have a right under the consumer laws to expect that the vehicle they are purchasing is free from defects, safe, durable and suitable for driving under everyday conditions,” said Ms Mawuli.

“Instead, many Jaguar and Land Rover owners are frustrated by the frequent servicing and maintenance required because of the alleged defect in the DPF system,” she said.

The class action is searching for compensation on behalf of affected owners and has alleged Jaguar Land Rover has failed to deliver “acceptable quality” under the Australian Consumer Law.

Jaguar’s little luxury E-Pace SUV is also affected.

It also claims the company has engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct.

“Owners were kept in the dark by Jaguar Land Rover about the problems with these vehicles and we will be seeking to hold Jaguar Land Rover to account for failing their customers,” said Muwali.

A statement from Jaguar Land Rover Australia said: “Jaguar Land Rover Australia Pty Ltd (JLRA), the distributor of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles in Australia, has received and is considering the application and statement of claim filed in the Federal Court of Australia in relation to certain diesel engine vehicles supplied since 2015.”

“Our products are of the highest quality and meet all regulations and standards of the markets in which they are purchased and our highest priority is always to ensure that our customers enjoy the best possible experience with them.

“We are reviewing the statement of claim and will defend in accordance with the applicable court process.”

The Maurice Blackburn investigation follows a similar class action launched against Toyota for faulty DPFs in popular HiLux, Fortuner and Prado vehicles.

In April this year Justice Michael Lee in the Federal Court ordered Toyota to pay Prado owner Kenneth Williams $13,191.65 in damages, ruling that the company had sold him a defective vehicle.

This means Toyota Australia could face a compensation bill of more than $2 billion to cover more than 260,000 vehicles.

Toyota Australia launched an appeal in June, which was heard in November. A judgement is pending.