Fagen v. Jaguar Land Rover N. Am., L.L.C.

2023 Ohio 4324
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 1, 2023
DocketC-220640 & C-220656
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2023 Ohio 4324 (Fagen v. Jaguar Land Rover N. Am., L.L.C.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fagen v. Jaguar Land Rover N. Am., L.L.C., 2023 Ohio 4324 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

[Cite as Fagen v. Jaguar Land Rover N. Am., L.L.C., 2023-Ohio-4324.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO

DEBORAH FAGEN, : APPEAL NOS. C-220640 C-220656 Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross- TRIAL NO. A-2001080 Appellee, :

vs. : JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH O P I N I O N. AMERICA, LLC, :

Defendant-Appellee/Cross- : Appellant.

Civil Appeals From: Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas

Judgment Appealed From Is: Affirmed in Part, Reversed in Part, and Cause Remanded in C-220656; Appeal Dismissed in C-220640

Date of Judgment Entry on Appeal: December 1, 2023

Derek W. Gustafson, for Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross-Appellee,

Kehoe & Associates, LLC, Kevin P. Shannon and Robert D. Kehoe, for Defendant- Appellee/Cross-Appellant. OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

BOCK, Judge.

{¶1} This appeal involves plaintiff-appellant/cross-appellee Deborah

Fagen’s leased 2020 Jaguar F-type. After several failed attempts by defendant-

appellee/cross-appellant Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, (“Jaguar”) to fix a

recurring issue with the vehicle’s indicator lights caused by a software issue, Fagen

sued, alleging that the vehicle is a lemon under R.C. 1345.72. The trial court agreed,

granted her summary-judgment motion, and awarded her damages. Fagen appealed

the trial court’s damages award in a single assignment of error. Jaguar filed a cross-

appeal, asserting that the trial court improperly denied its summary-judgment motion

and granted Fagen’s summary-judgment motion.

{¶2} We sustain Jaguar’s first assignment of error, in part, and hold that a

genuine issue of material fact exists as to whether the vehicle’s problems substantially

impaired its use, safety, or value to Fagen. But we affirm the portion of its decision

involving the existence of a defect or condition and the statutory presumption of

reasonable repairs under R.C. 1345.73(A)(2). Because we reverse the trial court’s

decision granting Fagen summary judgment, her appeal challenging the trial court’s

award of damages is moot. We remand the case for further proceedings.

I. Facts and Procedure

{¶3} In August 2019, Fagen signed a three-year lease with Jaguar Land Rover

of Cincinnati (“the dealership”) for a new Jaguar F-type. Within weeks, she began

experiencing a series of issues with the dashboard indicator lights. Fagen contacted

the dealership for service. Service invoices show that from September 2019 to April

2020, the dealership serviced the vehicle five times.

2 OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

{¶4} In September 2019, Fagen asked the dealership to address flashing

dashboard lights involving the vehicle’s washer fluid and brake system, as well as a

dashboard warning that “special functions are not available.” While the dealership’s

technician was unable to duplicate the condition, a scan revealed diagnostic trouble

codes and a low voltage event. The mechanic charged the battery, cleared the faults,

and test drove the vehicle before returning it to Fagen.

{¶5} From October 30 to November 6, 2019, Fagen left the vehicle at the

dealership to address an error message: “DISPLAYING BRAKE FAULT, PARK ASSIST

INOP ETC.” The technician ran several tests and found that the vehicle “would present

faults randomly.” The technician replaced the vehicle’s “dynamic control switch

(dynamic/snow mode).” Following a test drive, no faults returned and the dealership

released the vehicle to Fagen.

{¶6} On November 18, 2019, Fagen brought the vehicle back to the

dealership because “STABILITY, BRAKE, DRIVE WITH CAUTION MESSAGES ARE

BACK ON.” Following a series of diagnostic tests, the technician replaced the dynamic

range switch, reprogrammed the “ATCM,” and test drove the vehicle with no issues

before returning it to Fagen.

{¶7} Fagen returned the vehicle to the dealership from January 28, 2020, to

February 6, 2020, because “BRAKE FAULT, PARK ASSIST IN-OP, STABILITY

FAULT, DRIVE WITH CAUTION MESSAGE COMES ON WHILE DRIVING.” The

technician found multiple communication errors and connection issues and replaced

the “connector shell,” cleared the faults, and retested the vehicle. Because it was

“performing as designed,” the vehicle was released to Fagen.

3 OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

{¶8} Finally, from March 9, 2020, to April 22, 2020, Fagen again reported

that “THE BRAKE FAULT, PARK ASSIST IN-OP, STABILITY FAULT, DRIVE WITH

CAUTION MESSAGE COMES ON WHILE DRIVING.” The technician could not

replicate the warnings and performed a litany of diagnostic tests. Eventually, the

technician contacted an overseas engineering department, which reinstalled the

vehicle’s software before releasing the vehicle to Fagen.

{¶9} Fagen sued Jaguar, seeking damages for violations of Ohio’s Lemon

Law, the Magnusson Moss Act, and the vehicle’s warranty. The parties moved for

summary judgment. In support of her motion, Fagen attached an affidavit, the lease,

repair invoices, videos of the dashboard, and copies of the owner manual. Fagen also

relied on deposition testimony of Pat Rooney, the dealership’s service department

foreman. For its part, Jaguar relied on the repair invoices and the express warranty.

{¶10} The trial court granted Fagen’s summary-judgment motion on her

Lemon Law claim under R.C. 1345.01 et seq. and denied Jaguar’s summary-judgment

motion. Jaguar appealed and Fagen cross-appealed. We dismissed those appeals for

lack of a final, appealable order, because “the trial court did not determine the specific

amount of damages Ms. Fagen would be entitled to should she elect a refund.” Months

later, the trial court issued a supplemental order granting Fagen’s summary-judgment

motion and awarding Fagen $30,406.61 in damages. Days later, Fagen filed a “motion

for final judgment,” arguing that “an award of costs, attorney’s fees, and statutory

damages need not be included.” As that motion was pending, Fagen appealed the

supplemental order. The following week, Jaguar filed its cross-appeal.

4 OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

II. Law and Analysis

{¶11} In a single assignment of error, Fagen challenges the trial court’s

calculation of damages. In its cross-appeal, Jaguar argues in two assignments of error

that the trial court should have denied Fagen’s motion, or alternatively, it should have

granted Jaguar’s motion for summary judgment. Specifically, Jaguar disputes the

existence of a nonconformity as defined by R.C. 1345.71(E), argues that Fagen failed

to present expert testimony, and maintains that the repair time in this case did not

trigger the statutory presumption of recovery under Ohio’s Lemon Law. We discuss

Jaguar’s cross-appeal first.

{¶12} We review the trial court’s grant of summary judgment de novo.

Parker v. L.T., 1st Dist. Hamilton No. C-160642, 2017-Ohio-7674, ¶ 13, citing Doe v.

Shaffer, 90 Ohio St.3d 388, 390, 738 N.E.2d 1243 (2000). Summary judgment should

be granted when “there is no genuine issue of material fact, the moving party is entitled

to judgment as a matter of law, and the evidence demonstrates that reasonable minds

can come to but one conclusion, and that conclusion is adverse to the party opposing

the motion.” Id., citing Comer v. Risko, 106 Ohio St.3d 185, 2005-Ohio-4559, 833

N.E.2d 712, ¶ 8. Material facts are “those facts ‘that might affect the outcome of the

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