— A Toyota Prius inverter failure class action lawsuit settlement has been preliminarily approved for customers of 2010-2015 Toyota Prius and 2012-2017 Prius v cars that were previously recalled.
According to the inverter failure class action, the Prius and Prius v cars are equipped with intelligent power module (IPM) transistors that fail from heat and electrical stress.
Inverter failure will cause the car to suddenly slow down and stall, a problem that caused Toyota to issue four recalls.
The Prius inverter failure class action lawsuit was consolidated from two separate class actions, but Toyota denies all of the allegations in the class actions.
Toyota announced four recalls beginning in 2018 to install new software which ensured a car will continue to travel up to 60 mph in limp mode even if inverter failure occurs.
Toyota Prius Inverter Failure Class Action Settlement
Prius and Prius v owners will need to decide what parts of the settlement will benefit them because Toyota had already issued several recalls and warranty extensions that were available for free prior to the settlement.
According to the settlement, Toyota will extend warranty coverage under current warranty enhancement programs if the car indicates diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0A94, P0A1A, P324E or P3004. Coverage will be for 20 years from the date the Prius first went into service.
Toyota will also repair or replace the inverter if a Toyota dealer finds that either DTC P0A7A or DTC P0A78 has been triggered and confirms the inverter has failed and needs to be repaired or replaced.
If a dealer confirms the Prius inverter failure was caused by heat, the inverter will be repaired or replaced no matter which trouble code is triggered.
Prius and Prius v customers may be eligible for certain reimbursements for rental car expenses incurred in connection with the repair or replacement of an IPM or a Prius inverter. A customer may also be reimbursed related to towing charges and for the cost of repairing or replacing the inverter or IPM.
Each named plaintiff who sued will receive $5,000 and the attorneys will receive $19.6 million.
A final fairness hearing is scheduled for January 13, 2023, but owners can learn more at www.ToyotaPriusInverterSettlement.com.
The Toyota Prius inverter failure class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Remy McCarthy, et al., v. Toyota Motor Corp., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Fazio Micheletti LLP, and Miller Barondess LLP.