Nissan Dismissed from Keyless Ignition Class Action

Shook, Hardy & Bacon attorneys won dismissal for Nissan, North America, Inc. from a putative class action against numerous automakers alleging their keyless ignition systems were defective. Plaintiffs claimed the automakers failed to warn consumers that the keyless system did not automatically turn off when owners left their vehicles, resulting in risk of injury and death from carbon monoxide poisoning. The action initially sought damages from 18 automakers and their research and design companies.

A California federal court granted Shook’s motion to dismiss Nissan from the case, denying plaintiffs leave to amend and dismissing the action with prejudice. The court held that plaintiffs did not satisfactorily plead actual injury or product defect.

Law360 covered the dismissal in more detail.

Lassen v. Nissan North America, Inc., No. 15-06491 (C.D. Cal 2016).