PHOENIX - Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced consent judgments today with Mercedes-Benz and Robert Bosch LLC to resolve false advertising claims involving so-called “Clean Diesel” vehicles. Under the proposed consent judgments, Mercedes-Benz will pay $2,835,000 in consumer restitution, and each qualifying Arizona consumer will receive up to $625 per affected vehicle. In addition, Mercedes-Benz will pay $2,715,000 in penalties, and Robert Bosch LLC will pay $525,000 in penalties.
“Arizona demands truth in advertising to assist consumers in making the most informed decisions for themselves,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “This settlement, with significant consumer restitution, is another example of how we put consumers first when holding companies accountable.”
In a lawsuit filed in 2019, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) alleged that Mercedes-Benz deceptively marketed its BlueTEC vehicles as the most environmentally conscious diesel option in the world and employed a defeat device to make its vehicles emit lower levels of pollution under certain testing conditions but emit much higher levels in actual driving conditions.
In an amended complaint filed in 2020, the AGO added Robert Bosch LLC and its parent company Robert Bosch GmbH (collectively “Bosch”) to the lawsuit. The AGO alleged that Bosch developed, manufactured, marketed, tested, and sold the electronic diesel control that allowed Mercedes to manipulate emissions controls and that Bosch marketed “Clean Diesel” to the public.
The consent judgments are pending court approval. Once approved, eligible Arizona consumers who owned or leased an affected vehicle as of September 14, 2020, will be identified, and a letter will be sent to qualifying consumers. Qualifying consumers can receive money as a result of the consent judgments even if they already received money from nationwide class action settlements.
Civil Litigation Division Chief Counsel Joseph Sciarrotta assisted in the management of this matter. Consumer Protection and Advocacy Section Chief Leslie Cooper, Consumer Litigation Unit Chief Matthew du Mée, and Senior Litigation Counsel Joshua Whitaker handled this case. If you believe you have been the victim of consumer fraud, you can file a consumer complaint by visiting the Attorney General’s website. If you need a complaint form sent to you, contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6648, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at (800) 352‑8431.
Mercedes-Benz consent judgment here.
Robert Bosch LLC consent judgment here.
List of affected vehicles: