Owners of the current-generation Isuzu D-Max ute and MU-X SUV – as well as the related Mazda BT-50 ute – are being encouraged to join a potential class action for compensation regarding a commonly shared suspension fault.
Chamberlains Law Firm is currently taking expressions of interest from D-Max, MU-X and BT-50 owners who want to take part in a prospective class action against Isuzu and Mazda for their alleged failure to address an issue causing excessive tyre wear.
Since the three models launched in Australia in 2020, owners have complained about excessive ‘bump steer’, which occurs when the vehicle hits a bump in the road and its front wheels steer themselves without any driver input.
The result can be excessive, uneven tyre wear. The problem is exacerbated when the vehicle’s ride height is increased, as is common in the off-roading community.
Last month, Isuzu and Mazda announced the rollout of a no-cost steering alignment to rectify the fault, with the former going so far as offering to replace tyres with premature and uneven wear caused by bump steer on a case-by-case basis.
However, according to the firm leading the potential class action, this rectification is not enough given owners may have forked out for replacement tyres and suffered from a reduction in their vehicle’s resale value.
The law firm alleges “no permanent fix has been offered by Isuzu or Mazda in relation to this issue” despite it “being apparent for a number of years”.
Multiple aftermarket companies have developed replacement steering knuckle kits for the D-Max, MU-X, and BT-50 in an effort to reduce the effect of bump steer, though these can start from about $1200 before installation.
Isuzu rolled out the steering alignment change in new D-Max and MU-X vehicles between November 2023 and January 2024, with all examples sold since then benefitting from the adjustment.
Mazda Australia hasn’t confirmed a timeline for the BT-50, but it’s exported from the same factory in Thailand so it’s expected the fix was rolled out across the same period.
Approximately 75,000 examples of the current-generation Isuzu D-Max were sold prior to the completion of the fix, as well as roughly 35,000 MU-Xs and about 45,000 BT-50s.
CarExpert has contacted both Isuzu Ute Australia and Mazda Australia regarding the proposed class action.
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