Case Status
Keller Rohrback L.L.P., along with co-counsel, has filed suit against Defendants Toyota Motor North America, Subaru of America, Inc., and various subsidiaries for a failure to disclose and adequately repair a widespread battery defect in the battery charging systems of certain electric vehicles sold by Defendants in the United States. The Battery Defect at issue renders the vehicles unable to start and drive, and also damages the 12-volt batteries and causes them to die completely and require premature replacement. The result is that Plaintiff and class members are left with vehicles that are not fit for ordinary use: the batteries die without warning, potentially stranding their drivers and passengers.
The litigations, filed in the Eastern District of California, allege that the Battery Defect effects 2023-2025 model year Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4x vehicles. These vehicles are plug-in electric crossovers that were developed together, are based on the same platform and powertrain, and are manufactured by Toyota in Japan, but are sold in the United States by both Toyota (as the bZ4x model) and Subaru (as the Solterra model). There are slight differences between the models, but they are largely cosmetic.
Consumers report online that their Class Vehicles can have their 12-volt battery drained as quickly as a few weeks or even days with little to no driving, with Toyota and Subaru dealerships often unwilling to test or replace 12-volt battery systems in affected vehicles that have been jumpstarted and brought to dealerships for inspection.
