A proposed class of consumers that purchased automobiles have reached an $11 million settlement of their claims with Japanese auto parts maker Calsonic Kansei Corp. The complaint alleged that Calsonic was part of a conspiracy to fix prices for vehicle air conditioning systems.
The case is pending in federal court in Michigan before Judge Battani. In January, Judge Battani tentatively certified a settlement class of car buyers that covers people who purchased or leased new vehicles in the U.S. since May 1999 with air conditioning systems made or sold by one of the defendants. At that time she also approved defendant and German manufacturer Mahle Behr GmbH & Co. KG’s nearly $1.5 million settlement of claims over vehicle air conditioning systems.
The cases are In re Air Conditioning Systems End-Payor Actions, case number 2:13-cv-02703, and In re Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, case number 2:12-md-02311, all in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.