Owners of Driven Chrysler Cars Sold as New to Get at Least $500

An estimated 39,500 consumers who own Chrysler Motors Corp. cars test driven with disconnected odometers will receive at least $500 in restitution under a nationwide settlement announced today by Missouri Atty. Gen. William Webster.

Webster served as the lead negotiator in the $16-million-plus settlement with the auto maker announced earlier this year. Attorneys general from nine other states assisted in the settlement proceeding filed Aug. 19 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, Webster said at a morning news conference.

The action was taken on behalf of consumers in 46 states and Guam and Puerto Rico. The states that did not participate in the settlement are Georgia, Kentucky, Nevada and South Carolina, Webster said.

Webster said his office, as well as officials in certain other states, were mailing letters today to consumers who own cars test-driven in the company’s “overnight evaluation program.”

In the program, new cars were driven by company executives as part of the testing process before the vehicles were shipped to dealers. Odometers on those cars were disconnected while the executives drove them, leading buyers to believe they had bought new cars. The program had been going on for many years, Webster said.