Cummins Emissions Cheating Settlement & Ram Truck Recall
The Lyon Firm is reviewing the Cummins emissions cheating incident that has resulted in a $1.6 billion settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice, and the state of California. Contact our recall lawyers to learn more about the related Ram truck recall, and potentially taking legal action. Free consultations and case review.
On January 10, 2024, Cummins reached the settlement agreement for their alleged vehicle emission control violations. The said Clean Air Act violations originate from Cummins configuring software features as “defeat devices” that reduced or deactivated the vehicle engines emission controls on Ram trucks.
Cummins will initiate the Ram recall program in order to remove the defeat devices and replace the vehicles’ software. The Department of Justice says that under the settlement terms, the engine manufacturer will recall 600,000 Ram trucks.
Accused of cheating emissions testing with the devices that can bypass or defeat emissions controls, Cummins will pay a $1.675 billion civil penalty. That penalty is in addition to the $325 million to be paid on remedies.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said of the matter, “Let this settlement be a lesson: We won’t let greedy corporations cheat their way to success and run over the health and well-being of consumers and our environment along the way.”
Officials cannot estimate how many non-compliant Ram trucks are currently on the road, but Cummins will order a nationwide recall of more than 600,000 Ram vehicles.
The vehicles eligible for the recalls are model year 2013 through 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 diesel vehicles certified by Cummins. Owners and lessees of vehicles that are eligible for the recalls should receive information about the recall directly from Ram.
Cummins will provide an extended warranty to vehicles that receive the recall software, vehicles that have already received the recall software, and model year 2019 vehicles that were originally sold with the recall software. The warranty will cover parts and systems affected by the recall.
Contact our recall lawyers to discuss your next steps after the Ram recall and Cummins Emissions defeat scandal. Our consumer protection attorneys are investigating further legal action. We offer representation to plaintiffs in all fifty states in auto recall lawsuits and other class action litigation.