Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

11. Commitments and Contingencies

Environmental Matters

The Company is subject to a variety of environmental and pollution control laws and regulations in all jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company has been notified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, other national environmental agencies, and various provincial and state agencies that it may be a potentially responsible party (“PRP”) under such laws for the cost of remediating hazardous substances pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) and other national and state or provincial environmental laws. PRP designation typically requires the funding of site investigations and subsequent remedial activities. Many of the sites that are likely to be the costliest to remediate are often current or former commercial waste disposal facilities to which numerous companies sent wastes. Despite the potential joint and several liability which might be imposed on the Company under CERCLA, and some of the other laws pertaining to these sites, its share of the total waste sent to these sites generally has been small. The Company believes its exposure for liability at these sites is not material.

On a global basis, the Company has also identified certain other present and former properties at which it may be responsible for cleaning up or addressing environmental contamination, in some cases, as a result of contractual commitments and/or federal or state environmental laws. The Company is actively seeking to resolve these actual and potential statutory, regulatory, and contractual obligations.

The Company expenses or capitalizes, as appropriate, expenditures for ongoing compliance with environmental regulations. At September 30, 2022, the Company has an obligation to remediate or contribute towards the remediation of certain sites, including the sites discussed above at which it may be a PRP.

The Company’s estimated share of environmental remediation costs for all these sites is recognized in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as follows:


	September 30, 2022		December 31, 2021
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	$	9	$	8
Deferred credits and other liabilities	19		23
	$	28	$	31

Based on information known to the Company from site investigations and the professional judgment of consultants, the Company has established reserves it believes are adequate for these costs. Although the Company believes these estimates of remediation costs are reasonable and are based on the latest available information, the costs are estimates, difficult to quantify based on the complexity of the issues, and are subject to revision as more information becomes available about the extent of remediation required. At some sites, the Company expects other parties will contribute to the remediation costs. In addition, certain environmental statutes provide the Company’s liability could be joint and several, meaning the Company could be required to pay amounts in excess of its share of remediation costs. The financial strength of the other PRPs at these sites has been considered, where appropriate, in the determination of the estimated liability. The Company does not believe any potential costs associated with its current status as a PRP, or as a liable party at the other locations referenced herein, will be material to its annual consolidated financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.

At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company has indemnifications in place on certain of these environmental reserves, which are not considered material to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Other Legal Proceedings, Claims and Investigations

For many years, the Company has been and continues to be subject to lawsuits initiated by claimants alleging health problems as a result of exposure to asbestos. The Company’s current docket of active and inactive cases is approximately 500 cases in the United States and less than 50 in Europe.

With respect to the claims filed in the United States, the substantial majority of the claims are related to alleged exposure to asbestos in the Company’s line of Walker® exhaust automotive products although a significant number of those claims appear also to involve occupational exposures sustained in industries other than automotive. A small number of claims have been asserted against one of the Company’s subsidiaries by railroad workers alleging exposure to asbestos products in railroad cars. The Company believes, based on scientific and other evidence, it is unlikely that U.S. claimants were exposed to asbestos by the Company’s former products and that, in any event, they would not be at increased risk of asbestos-related disease based on their work with these products. Further, many of these cases involve numerous defendants. Additionally, in many cases the plaintiffs either do not specify any, or specify the jurisdictional minimum, dollar amount for damages.

With respect to the claims filed in Europe, the substantial majority relate to occupational exposure claims brought by current and former employees of Federal-Mogul facilities in France and amounts paid out were not material. A small number of occupational exposure claims have also been asserted against Federal-Mogul entities in Italy and Spain.

As major asbestos manufacturers and/or users continue to go out of business or file for bankruptcy, the Company may experience an increased number of these claims. The Company vigorously defends itself against these claims as part of its ordinary course of business. In future periods, the Company could be subject to cash costs or charges to earnings if any of these matters are resolved unfavorably to the Company. To date, with respect to claims that have proceeded sufficiently through the judicial process, the Company has regularly achieved favorable resolutions. Accordingly, the Company presently believes that these asbestos-related claims will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s annual consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

The Company is also from time to time involved in other legal proceedings, claims or investigations. Some of these matters involve allegations of damages against the Company relating to environmental liabilities (including toxic tort, property damage and remediation), intellectual property matters (including patent, trademark and copyright infringement, and licensing disputes), personal injury claims (including injuries due to product failure, design or warning issues, and other product liability related matters), taxes, unclaimed property, employment matters, advertising matters, and commercial or contractual disputes, sometimes related to acquisitions or divestitures. Additionally, some of these matters involve allegations relating to legal compliance.

While the Company vigorously defends itself against all of these legal proceedings, claims and investigations and takes other actions to minimize its potential exposure, in future periods, the Company could be subject to cash costs or charges to earnings if any of these matters are resolved on unfavorable terms. Although the ultimate outcome of any legal matter cannot be predicted with certainty, based on current information, including the Company’s assessment of the merits of the particular claim, the Company does not expect the legal proceedings, claims or investigations currently pending against it will have any material adverse effect on its annual consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company’s primary asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) activities relate to the removal of hazardous building materials at its facilities. The Company records an ARO at fair value upon initial recognition when the amount is probable and can be reasonably estimated. ARO fair values are determined based on the Company’s determination of what a third party would charge to perform the remediation activities, generally using a present value technique.

The Company’s ARO liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets are as follows:


	September 30, 2022		December 31, 2021
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities(a)	$	11	$	10
Deferred credits and other liabilities	3		4
	$	14	$	14

(a) Includes liabilities held for sale for $8 million and $9 million at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. Refer to Note 2, “Basis of Presentation”, for additional information on assets and liabilities held for sale.

Warranty Matters

The Company provides warranties on some of its products. The warranty terms vary but range from one year up to limited lifetime warranties on some of its premium aftermarket products. Provisions for estimated expenses related to product warranty are made at the time products are sold or when specific warranty issues are identified with the Company’s products. These estimates are established using historical information about the nature, frequency, and average cost of warranty claims. The Company believes the warranty reserve is appropriate; however, actual claims incurred could differ from the original estimates, requiring adjustments to the reserve. The reserve is included in both current and long-term liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The following represents the changes in the Company’s warranty accrual accounts:


	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2022		2021		2022		2021
Balance at beginning of period	$	66	$	72	$	69	$	62
Accruals and revisions to estimates	1		8		27		40
Settlements	(12)		(12)		(39)		(34)
Foreign currency	(2)		(1)		(4)		(1)
Balance at end of period	$	53	$	67	$	53	$	67