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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation and Claims
In 2003, the Local Development Finance Authority of the Charter Township of Van Buren, Michigan (the “Township”) issued, approximately $28 million in bonds finally maturing in 2032, the proceeds of which were used at least in part to assist in the development of the Company’s U.S. headquarters located in the Township. During January 2010, the Company and the Township entered into a settlement agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) that, among other things, reduced the taxable value of the headquarters property to current market value and facilitated certain claims of the Township in the Company’s chapter 11 proceedings. The Settlement Agreement also provided that the Company would negotiate in good faith with the Township in the event that property tax payments was inadequate to permit the Township to meet its payment obligations with respect to the bonds. In September 2013, the Township notified the Company in writing that it is estimating a shortfall in tax revenues of between $25 million and $36 million, which could render it unable to satisfy its payment obligations under the bonds.  On May 12, 2015, the Township commenced a proceeding against the Company in the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in connection with the foregoing. Upon the Company’s motion to dismiss, the Township dismissed the proceeding before the Delaware Bankruptcy Court and re-commenced the proceeding against the Company in the Michigan Wayne County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan on July 2, 2015. The Township sought damages or, alternatively, declaratory judgment that, among other things, the Company is responsible under the Settlement Agreement for payment of any shortfall in the bond debt service payments. On February 2, 2016, the Wayne County Circuit Court dismissed the Township’s lawsuit without prejudice on the basis that the Township’s claims were not ripe for adjudication.  The Township appealed the decision to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which affirmed the dismissal of the Township’s lawsuit.  The Township has sought leave to appeal from the Michigan Supreme Court.  The Company disputes the factual and legal assertions made by the Township and intends to vigorously defend the matter. The Company is not able to estimate the possible loss or range of loss in connection with this matter.
The dispute between the Company and its former President and Chief Executive Officer, Timothy D. Leuliette was resolved in the first quarter of 2018. Pursuant to the resolution, the Company recognized $17 million of pre-tax income, representing the forfeiture of stock based awards and release of other liabilities accrued during prior periods. The benefit is classified as a reduction to selling, general and administrative expenses of $10 million, a benefit to other income, net of $4 million, and a benefit to discontinued operations of $3 million
In November 2013, the Company and HVCC, jointly filed an Initial Notice of Voluntary Self-Disclosure statement with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) regarding certain sales of automotive HVAC components by a minority-owned, Chinese joint venture of HVCC into Iran. The Company updated that notice in December 2013, and subsequently filed a voluntary self-disclosure regarding these sales with OFAC in March 2014. In May 2014, the Company voluntarily filed a supplementary self-disclosure identifying additional sales of automotive HVAC components by the Chinese joint venture, as well as similar sales involving an HVCC subsidiary in China, totaling approximately $12 million, and filed a final voluntary-self disclosure with OFAC on October 17, 2014. OFAC is currently reviewing the results of the Company’s investigation. Following that review, OFAC may conclude that the disclosed sales resulted in violations of U.S. economic sanctions laws and warrant the imposition of civil penalties, such as fines, limitations on the Company's ability to export products from the United States, and/or referral for further investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. Any such fines or restrictions may be material to the Company’s financial results in the period in which they are imposed, but is not able to estimate the possible loss or range of loss in connection with this matter. Additionally, disclosure of this conduct and any fines or other action relating to this conduct could harm the Company’s reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. The Company cannot predict when OFAC will conclude its own review of our voluntary self-disclosures or whether it may impose any of the potential penalties described above.
The Company's operations in Brazil and Argentina are subject to highly complex labor, tax, customs and other laws. While the Company believes that it is in compliance with such laws, it is periodically engaged in litigation regarding the application of these laws. As of March 31, 2018, the Company maintained accruals of approximately $16 million and $4 million for claims aggregating approximately $150 million and $4 million in Brazil and Argentina, respectively. The amounts accrued represent claims that are deemed probable of loss and are reasonably estimable based on the Company's assessment of the claims and prior experience with similar matters.
While the Company believes its accruals for litigation and claims are adequate, the final amounts required to resolve such matters could differ materially from recorded estimates and the Company's results of operations and cash flows could be materially affected.
Guarantees and Commitments
The Company has provided a $12 million loan guarantee to YFVIC. The guarantee contains standard non-payment provisions to cover the borrowers in event of non-payment of principal, accrued interest, and other fees, and the loan is expected to be fully paid by September 2019.
As part of the agreements of the Climate Transaction and Interiors Divestiture, the Company continues to provide lease guarantees to divested Climate and Interiors entities. As of March 31, 2018, the Company has approximately $5 million and $3 million of outstanding guarantees, related to the divested Climate and Interiors entities, respectively. These guarantees will generally cease upon expiration of current lease agreements.
Product Warranty and Recall
Amounts accrued for product warranty and recall claims are based on management’s best estimates of the amounts that will ultimately be required to settle such items. The Company’s estimates for product warranty and recall obligations are developed with support from its sales, engineering, quality and legal functions and include due consideration of contractual arrangements, past experience, current claims and related information, production changes, industry and regulatory developments and various other considerations. The Company can provide no assurances that it will not experience material claims in the future or that it will not incur significant costs to defend or settle such claims beyond the amounts accrued or beyond what the Company may recover from its suppliers. Specific cause actions represent customer actions related to defective supplier parts and related software.
The following table provides a reconciliation of changes in the product warranty and recall claims liability:
 
Three Months Ended March 31
 
2018
 
2017
 
(Dollars in Millions)
Beginning balance
$
49

 
$
55

Accruals for products shipped
5

 
6

Changes in estimates
1

 
3

Specific cause actions
2

 

Foreign currency
2

 
1

Settlements
(7
)
 
(13
)
Ending balance
$
52

 
$
52


Other Contingent Matters
Various legal actions, governmental investigations and proceedings and claims are pending or may be instituted or asserted in the future against the Company, including those arising out of alleged defects in the Company’s products; governmental regulations relating to safety; employment-related matters; customer, supplier and other contractual relationships; intellectual property rights; product warranties; product recalls; and environmental matters. Some of the foregoing matters may involve compensatory, punitive or antitrust or other treble damage claims in very large amounts, or demands for recall campaigns, environmental remediation programs, sanctions, or other relief which, if granted, would require very large expenditures. The Company enters into agreements that contain indemnification provisions in the normal course of business for which the risks are considered nominal and impracticable to estimate.
Contingencies are subject to many uncertainties, and the outcome of individual litigated matters is not predictable with assurance. Reserves have been established by the Company for matters discussed in the immediately foregoing paragraph where losses are deemed probable and reasonably estimable. It is possible, however, that some of the matters discussed in the foregoing paragraph could be decided unfavorably to the Company and could require the Company to pay damages or make other expenditures in amounts, or a range of amounts, that cannot be estimated as of March 31, 2018 and that are in excess of established reserves. The Company does not reasonably expect, except as otherwise described herein, based on its analysis, that any adverse outcome from such matters would have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, although such an outcome is possible.