Monroe car dealership sued by Ohio AG

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has sued Monroe Dodge Chrysler Jeep Superstore in Monroe, MI, accusing it of using deceptive advertising.

Essentially, the lawsuit says that advertising to Ohio residents did not follow Ohio laws - and numerous attempts to get the dealership to comply have failed. In fact, it says previous agreements with the firm regarding Ohio laws were not honored.

Here is a copy of the lawsuit.

Here is the press release:

TOLEDO, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced a lawsuit against Monroe Dodge-Chrysler, Inc., which does business as Monroe Dodge Chrysler Jeep Superstore, of Monroe, Michigan. The Attorney General’s lawsuit accuses the dealership of using deceptive advertisements.

“Businesses that advertise to Ohio consumers must follow Ohio’s rules,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Otherwise, it’s not fair to consumers or to businesses that do follow the rules. The office has worked with this dealership on many occasions to address advertising violations, but the problems continue to resurface.”

Monroe Dodge Chrysler Jeep Superstore is located at 15160 S. Monroe St. in Monroe, Michigan. The dealership sells new and used vehicles and advertises online and in print to consumers in Michigan and Ohio.

According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, the dealership violated Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act by advertising prices for which not all consumers qualified, failing to disclose all required terms, and failing to clearly disclose important exclusions or conditions of a sale. The Attorney General seeks an injunction to stop further violations, reimbursement for any affected consumers, and civil penalties.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office had entered into past agreements with the dealership to address similar advertising violations, but the Attorney General’s Office found that violations continued.

To assist dealerships in complying with Ohio law, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office offers a publication called “Guidelines for Motor Vehicle Advertising,” which is available on the Attorney General’s website, and works cooperatively with dealer associations to provide advertising compliance presentations.

Consumers who suspect unfair or deceptive advertising or other violations should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

A copy of the lawsuit is available on the Attorney General's website.

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