In a compelling legal battle, a Louisiana resident has taken action against a major automotive manufacturer, alleging serious defects in a newly purchased vehicle. On April 1, 2025, Thomas Means Jr. filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana against FCA US, LLC. The lawsuit claims that the vehicle sold to him was defective and that these issues have not been resolved despite multiple repair attempts.
The case centers around Means' purchase of a new 2025 RAM 1500 from Matt Bowers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Baton Rouge on December 31, 2024. According to the complaint, Means experienced significant problems with the vehicle almost immediately after purchase. He reported issues such as unsteady steering and aggressive pulling to one side at higher speeds, which persisted despite several repair attempts by authorized service technicians. "The Vehicle has already spent approximately 70% of the time in the shop," stated Means in his filing, emphasizing his frustration over being left without reliable transportation.
Means alleges that these defects substantially impair the vehicle's use, value, and safety. The complaint highlights how these issues align with conditions described in FCA’s Recall 97B (NHTSA 24V-794), where defective front wheel bearing encoder rings could disable the Electronic Stability Control system without warning. Such a defect poses an unacceptable risk of crash at highway speeds.
The plaintiff is pursuing legal action under both Louisiana Redhibition Laws and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. He argues that FCA US, LLC breached implied warranties by failing to deliver a defect-free product and failing to rectify known issues effectively. The lawsuit seeks rescission of the sale contract and demands compensation exceeding $100,000 for damages incurred due to this breach.
Thomas Means Jr.'s complaint requests various forms of relief from the court: rescinding the sale and returning all costs associated with it; covering incidental damages like repair costs; addressing any diminution in value of the vehicle; compensating past and future economic losses; awarding attorney fees; and other appropriate remedies deemed fit by the court.
Representing Means is Drew Nordgren from The Nordgren Law Firm, LLC based in Baton Rouge. The case has been assigned Case ID: 3:25-cv-00265-JWD-RLB under Judge John W. deGravelles.