The parents of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin are suing the makers of a Jeep that crushed and killed him.

Victor and Irina Yelchin filed the wrongful death and product liability case against car-maker Fiat Chrysler in Los Angeles Superior Court.

It contends that the gear selector in the 27-year-old actor's Jeep was defective and poorly designed and manufactured.

"Anton Yelchin was crushed and lingered alive for some time, trapped and suffocating until his death," the lawsuit says.

Announcing the legal action at a news conference, Mr Yelchin said: "Despite our unbelievable grief, we decided to come here to prevent other family for the same tragedy.

"Anton was our only son. He was a remarkable human being, very modest, very simple, very honest, generous, loving.

"It is wrong, it is against nature when the parents bury its own child.

"That's why we hope that this lawsuit will make a family never go through the same hell we're going through right now."

In tears, Mrs Yelchin added: "Every morning we're getting text messages or emails from his friends all around the world saying how much ... losing this beautiful human being, and the world is really missing him and it's not right that he is not here."

Attorney, Gary Dordick, left, representing Victor and Irina Yelchin, parents of the late actor Anton Yelchin | Image: Damian Dovarganes / AP/Press Association Images

The actor's Jeep rolled backwards down the driveway of his Los Angeles home on June 19th, pinning him between a letterbox and a fence.

The SUV was among 1.1 million vehicles recalled in April because its gear sticks have confused drivers. The confusion has resulted in vehicles rolling away unexpectedly, and has led to dozens of injuries.

The lawsuit says Yelchin's SUV did not engage or maintain its "park" gear and that led to the vehicle crushing the actor.

It does not say how much Yelchin's parents are seeking in damages.

Yelchin is best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek franchise.

The third film in the series, Star Trek Beyond, has grossed more than €94 million in the US in its first two weekends.

Yelchin left behind several unreleased projects, including the Netflix animated series Trollhunters and four films.

Fiat Chrysler extended its sympathies to his parents in a statement released before the suit was filed. But it added that the company had not been served with the case and could not comment on it.