Important VW Transmission Class Action Update
Covers 2019 Volkswagen Jetta and 2018-2020 VW Tiguan
Please note the deadline to opt out of the class action settlement and pursue your own individual lemon law claim is December 29, 2022.
Visit the class action settlement website for current deadlines and further information.
Current or former owners or lessees of any model year 2019 Volkswagen Jetta or 2018-2020 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles equipped with an Aisin AWF8F35 8-speed automatic transmission need to pay attention to their rights.
Parrish et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al., Case No. 8:19-cv-01148-DSF-KES, was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on June 10, 2019. A fourth amended complaint was filed on June 30, 2020.
The VW transmission class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of a class of all purchasers or lessees of any model year 2019 Volkswagen Jetta or model year 2018-2020 Volkswagen Tiguan equipped with an Aisin AWF8F35 8-Speed Automatic Transmission designed, manufactured by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. and sold or leased in the United States.
According to a recently issued Court order, notice of this class action settlement will be sent out to consumers by November 29, 2022.
The Court recently extended the deadline to opt out of this settlement and pursue your own lemon law claim if you decide to do so is December 29, 2022.
There will be a final approval hearing on February 27, 2023.
If you don’t receive the settlement notice by then, contact the claims administrator Rust Consulting. You will have a limited time to make a decision, as the last date to opt out of the settlement is December 29, 2022.
All members of the settlement class that do not submit a timely and valid written request for exclusion (also known as opting out of the settlement) will be bound by the releases in the Settlement Agreement and all orders in that lawsuit.
Any Settlement Class Member who wishes to be excluded from the Settlement Class must mail a request for exclusion by regular first-class mail postmarked no later than December 29, 2022, to the Settlement Counsel, Defendant’s Counsel, and Claims Administrator. Contact information and specific instructions on how to opt out of this class action settlement will be included in the class action notice sent out to consumers by November 29, 2022.
To request exclusion from the settlement, you must include the following information:
- your full name, address and telephone number;
- the model make, model year and VIN of the Vehicle;
- state that you are a present or former owner or lessee of at Vehicle; and
- specifically and unambiguously state your desire to be excluded from the settlement.
California VW Class Action Opt-Outs and Lemon Law Claims
Current or former owners or lessees of these vehicles who live or purchased their vehicles in California should be aware that the California lemon law may force VW to either “buy the vehicle back” or provide other important compensation for those customers who experience this defect.
Under California’s lemon law, vehicles qualifying as “lemons” must be bought back. The refund could be as much as everything you paid for the vehicle and everything you owe: monthly payments, down payments, tax, finance charges, license, registration, etc., and that can mean a large cash refund and payoff of your loan or lease.
In fact, depending on the circumstances, you could even qualify for two times your money back. There is a formula in the law that starts with you getting all your money back and then taking certain deductions and exclusions away from your payment. Those refunds and exclusions are difficult to understand and can be fought against by knowledgeable consumer attorneys.
Visit the class action settlement website for current deadlines and further information.
Non-California Residents and Potential Lemon Law Claims
And as the lemon laws of particular states can differ from California, while we can advise you of your options under California law, we cannot offer advice for residents of other states.
For non-California owners, we suggest you contact a lemon law attorney in your state. You can find a local lemon law attorney by visiting the National Association of Consumer Advocates and selecting your state and “Lemon Law” under “Area of Practice.”
When it comes to vehicle claims, what to do can be a complicated decision, as it depends on many factors, such as:
- how old is your car?
- have you had particular transmission problems in your car?
- have you had other problems with your car?
- have you taken it in for repairs on more than one occasion?
- do you buy your car new or used, and do you still own the car?
- is the car still under warranty?
- where do you live?
We are not counsel in the class action, nor are we the settlement administrator. Our goal is to provide California residents with an independent assessment of your options based on your circumstances, considering the factors set out above.
Visit the class action settlement website for current deadlines and further information.
