A Houston man has filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court against Dollar General, claiming that the company sells a line of motor oils that are unsuitable for today's cars.
Michael Deck filed the suit Monday in U.S. District Court in Houston against the Tennessee-based corporation that does business in Texas as Dolgencorp of Texas.
Dollar General is a "discount retailer focused on low and fixed-income consumers in small markets," according to the complaint.
As of January, Dollar General operated about 12,200 stores in 43 states, including 1,246 stores in Texas, the complaint states.
In addition to selling name brand and generic merchandise, Dollar General sells its own line of products under the name DG.
Its DG Auto line consists of three types of motor oil: DG SAE 10W30, DG SAE 10W-40 and DG SAE-30. The complaint alleges that the motor oils are obsolete, fail to protect and can damage "modern-day" automobiles.
"Dollar General engages in the unfair, unlawful, deceptive and fraudulent practice of marketing, selling and causing to be manufactured, obsolete motor oil without adequately warning that its product is unsuitable for, and can harm, the vehicles driven by the overwhelming majority of Dollar General's customers (and the public at large)," Deck's complaint states.
While the front label of the 10W-30 and 10W-40 motor oil containers states that the product "Lubricates and protects your engine," the back label carries the "small print" statement, "not suitable for use in most gasoline powered automotive engines built after 1988."
The label on the back of the DG SAE container states that it is "not suitable for use in most gasoline powered automotive engines built after 1930," the complaint states.
Moreover, the suit states, Dollar General "further disguises the obsolete and harmful nature" of its motor oils by placing them on shelves next to various other motor oils, such as PEAK, Pennzoil and Castrol, that are suitable for modern vehicles.
The suit accuses the company of engaging in deceptive trade practices and seeks unspecified damages
Deck is represented by Houston attorney David W. Pace as well as Allan Kanner, Conlee Whiteley and Cynthia St. Amant of the Kanner & Whiteley law firm in New Orleans.
The company did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
This article originally appeared on Chron.
