VW Pre-Production Vehicle Lawsuit
No longer accepting claims for this case
“Pre-production,” “prototype,” and “zero-series” vehicles play an important role in the testing and development phase of auto manufacturing. Whether they’re being tested/driven by journalists, or transported thousands of miles to be displayed at auto shows, these vehicles help automakers discover and work out issues in new vehicles before they officially hit the market and are driven by customers.
After a final product is established, these test vehicles are usually destroyed. These vehicles vary in design from the final, approved, product due to being built during various stages of the development process, and therefore cannot legally be sold to customers.
Allegations have been raised, however, that Volkswagen and its subsidiary Audi may have deceived customers by illegally selling these vehicles under its Certified Preowned (CPO) program from at least June 1, 2011 to present. If you purchased one of these vehicles, you may have a claim.
Signs that your vehicle may be affected
On May 16, 2018, Volkswagen filed a safety recall report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration informing the agency of a need to recall 253 zero-series vehicles that it had sold in the U.S. Allegations have been raised that the actual number of illegally sold vehicles could be as high as 20,000.
In order to determine if your vehicle was among the initial 253 vehicles acknowledged by Volkswagen, enter your vehicle’s specific VIN on the automaker’s website at: www.vw.com/owners-recalls.
Vehicles listed by Volkswagen in the recall include:
- 2011-2013 Volkswagen Golf (A6)
- 2011-2013 Volkswagen GTI (A6)
- 2012-2016 Volkswagen Eos
- 2012 Volkswagen CC
- 2012-2013 Volkswagen R (A6)
- 2012-2015 Volkswagen Tiguan
- 2012 Volkswagen Passat
- 2015-2016 Volkswagen e-Golf
- 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf R (A7)
- 2015 Volkswagen Touareg (GP)
Other owners who purchased a vehicle since June 1, 2011 can review their vehicle’s records for signs that it may have been affected. For example, if a vehicle was purported to have only 10 miles, but showed a gap of more than three months between the date the vehicle was imported and the date it was first titled, that may be an indicator that Vokswagen engaged in odometer fraud by falsifying the vehicle’s mileage in order to convince the buyer that the vehicle was pre-owned.
Motley Rice vehicle litigation experience
Motley Rice attorneys have played a leading role in some of the largest and most significant litigations in recent years to hold auto-manufacturers accountable for alleged fraud. The firm represents hundreds of consumers who were affected by the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” emissions scandal, and co-founder Joe Rice holds a leadership role on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee. He, along with several other attorneys with the firm, helped lead negotiators for the nearly $15 billion settlement for 2.0-liter owners and lessees, as well as the multi-billion settlement reached for 3.0-liter vehicles.
Additionally, Joe serves on the PSC for similar emissions litigation filed against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and helped resolve that litigation.
The firm also played a key role in helping negotiate a pair of Takata bankruptcy resolutions, achieving a favorable outcome for current and future victims in the wake of the largest automobile recall in history.
*Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
