— A Subaru fuel pump lawsuit settlement has been reached for certain customers of these vehicles.
- 2017-2020 Subaru Impreza
- 2017-2020 Subaru Outback
- 2017-2020 Subaru Legacy
- 2017-2020 Subaru Forester
- 2017-2020 Subaru Ascent
- 2017-2020 Subaru BRZ
- 2017-2020 Subaru WRX
Owners will eventually have the opportunity to input their vehicle VINs at the Subaru fuel pump settlement website, SubaruFuelPumpsSettlement.com.
The Subaru fuel pumps were built by Denso which recalled about 2 million of the pumps which were installed in vehicles built by several automakers. Lawyers immediately began filing class action lawsuits, including against Subaru.
Those lawsuits were filed even though Subaru issued two recalls to replace the defective Denso fuel pumps.
The fuel pump class action was consolidated from four separate class action lawsuits, including Griffin v. Subaru, Anderson v. Subaru and Adnan v. Subaru.
The fuel pump can fail because the impeller can crack and absorb fuel, deforming the impeller. The deformed impeller can interfere with the body of the fuel pump.
However, Subaru told the government only 1% of the vehicles may have been equipped with a defective fuel pump.
In agreeing to settle the fuel pump lawsuit, Subaru denies all liability and wrongdoing.
Subaru Fuel Pump Settlement
Subaru will offer an extended warranty for the fuel pumps for 15 years after the vehicle went into service.
Subaru offered reimbursements and loaner vehicles during the original recalls, but the settlement says customers may receive reimbursements if they were denied reimbursements. An owner must provide proof Subaru denied reimbursement.
In some cases the settlement will not apply.
"Out-of-pocket expenses that are the result of damage, collision, and/or misuse/abuse will not be eligible for reimbursement. Vehicles where the title, prior to the date of the qualifying Fuel Pump repair, was transferred to a salvage yard, junkyard, wreckage facility, or similar entity, inoperable vehicles, and vehicles with titles marked flood-damaged are not eligible for this benefit."
If a settlement vehicle wasn't previously recalled and needs a tow to a dealer, an owner can arrange for a tow from a dealership.
According to the Subaru fuel pump settlement, these 11 plaintiffs who filed the class action lawsuit will receive $3,750 each:
Muhammad Adnan, Dan Rosenthal, Alexandra Efantis, Steven Biondo, Jacqueline Brockman, Marty Brown, Kevin King, Christine Schultz, David Sroelov, Donny Woo, and Katherine Griffin.
And these 16 plaintiffs will receive $2,500 each:
Gilles Cohen, Benjamin Moore, Mary Lou Plante, Meredith Mein de Vera, Blaise Fontenot, Katherine Mutschler, Benjamin Christensen, Jennifer Lilley, Chantel Nelson, Christine King, Paula Weeks, Martin Torresquintero, Cole Sweeton, John Micklo, Jaqueline Ferguson, and Troy Perry.
According to the settlement, the attorneys representing the plaintiffs will receive $15,500,000.
The Subaru fuel pump lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey: Cohen, et al., v. Subaru of America, et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Carella, Byrne, Cecchi, Brody & Agnello, P.C., Seeger Weiss LLP, and Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.