— A Subaru fuel pump lawsuit says a recall failed to include all Subaru vehicles on the roads with defective DENSO fuel pumps.
The Subaru fuel pump lawsuit alleges pumps are designed to last at least 100,000 miles, but the DENSO pumps fail prematurely and make driving dangerous.
Subaru recalled about 188,000 of these U.S. vehicles in April, and the following month DENSO announced a recall of more than 2 million fuel pumps.
- 2019 Subaru Impreza
- 2019 Subaru Outback
- 2019 Subaru Legacy
- 2019 Subaru Ascent
But the fuel pump lawsuit includes the following vehicles because they allegedly should have been included in the April recall.
- 2015-2019 Subaru Impreza
- 2015-2019 Subaru Ascent
- 2015-2019 Subaru Legacy
- 2015-2019 Subaru Outback
- 2015-2019 Subaru Forester
- 2015-2019 Subaru Crosstrek
- 2015-2019 Subaru WRX
According to the Subaru fuel pump lawsuit, the impellers in some low-pressure pumps "may become deformed under certain conditions which could render the fuel pump inoperable.”
Specifically, if “an impeller is manufactured with a lower density, and contains a lower surface strength or is exposed to production solvent drying for a longer period of time, higher levels of surface cracking may occur which, when excessive fuel absorption occurs, may result in impeller deformation.”
The plaintiff who sued says the fuel pumps are a safety hazard because DENSO warns:
“An inoperative fuel pump may result in the illumination of the check engine light and/or master warning indicators, rough engine running, engine no start and/or vehicle stall while driving at low speed and, in rare instances, a vehicle stall could occur while driving at higher speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.”
Although Subaru recalled 2019 Impreza, Ascent, Legacy and Outback vehicles, the class action lawsuit alleges the automaker didn't recall all vehicles manufactured with fuel pumps made in DENSO’s specified time frame.
Subaru recalled vehicles equipped with fuel pumps manufactured by DENSO during a four-month period. But DENSO's own recall was for fuel pumps built over a 13-month period.
Hawaii plaintiff Roman Anderson purchased a certified pre-owned 2017 Subaru Outback with about 17,000 miles on the odometer. In May 2020, the Outback engine didn't start twice in one week. And in November 2019, the vehicle allegedly stalled at a stop sign.
The plaintiff doesn't say if he took the vehicle to a dealer or if a mechanic diagnosed the fuel pump as the problem, but the plaintiff says he didn't have the fuel pump assembly replaced because it can allegedly cost up to $1,000.
"Plaintiff would not have purchased his 2017 Outback if Subaru had disclosed the Fuel Pump Defect or would have only agreed to purchase the vehicle at a substantially reduced price." - Subaru lawsuit
The Subaru fuel pump lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii: Anderson, et al., v. Subaru of America, Inc, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Imanaka Asato, LLLC, Blood Hurst & O'Reardon, LLP, the Davenport Law Firm LLC, and The Fraser Law Firm, P.C.