Subaru battery drain class action settlement

Updated:

• The estimated claim form deadline is now May 5, 2023.

Subaru agreed to a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims its vehicles can drain a battery faster than expected.

The settlement benefits current and former owners and lessees of 2015 to 2020 Outback, 2015 to 2020 Forester, 2015 to 2020 Legacy, 2015 to 2020 WRX and 2019 to 2020 Ascent vehicles, excluding owners and lessees from Alaska or Hawaii.

Subaru is an automotive manufacturer headquartered in Japan. According to a class action lawsuit, Subaru vehicles have defective electrical systems that cause premature battery draining.

The defect allegedly stems from insufficient battery capacity that fails to support vehicle components when the vehicle is turned off. When the battery is replaced with the same or similar model, the defect allegedly continues.

Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit argue that Subaru was aware of the defect for years due to online consumer complaints and an internal service bulletin. Despite being aware of the issue, Subaru allegedly failed to warn customers of the defect.

“Subaru had a duty to disclose the true quality and reliability of the Class Vehicles because the knowledge of the Defect and its details were known and/or accessible only to Subaru; Subaru had superior knowledge and access to the relevant facts; and Subaru knew the facts were not known to, or reasonably discoverable by, Plaintiff and Class Members,” the Subaru class action lawsuit contends.

Subaru hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a class action settlement to resolve these allegations. The total settlement amount hasn’t been disclosed in settlement documents.

Under the terms of the Subaru battery drain settlement, all class members can receive an extended warranty for future qualifying battery failures. 

For first battery replacements, the extended warranty covers 100% of the battery replacement cost for vehicles up to five years and 60,000 miles, or 50% of the battery replacement cost for vehicles over these benchmarks. 

For subsequent battery replacements, the extended warranty covers 100% of replacement costs for five years or 60,000 miles, 80% of replacement costs for seven years or 84,000 miles, and 60% for eight years or 100,000 miles.

The settlement also provides cash reimbursement for past battery replacements, battery testing and related costs, such as towing, that class members paid for out of pocket. Class members can receive between 55% and 165% reimbursement for these expenses based on the number of owner-paid repairs and the vehicle’s age and mileage. 

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Nov. 5, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the Subaru battery drain settlement is scheduled for Nov. 29, 2022.

No claim form is required to receive extended warranty benefits.

In order to receive cash reimbursement, class members must submit a valid claim by May 8, 2023. 

Who’s Eligible

Current and former owners and lessees of 2015-2020 Outback, 2015-2020 Forester, 2015-2020 Legacy, 2015-2020 WRX and 2019-2020 Ascent vehicles, excluding owners and lessees from Alaska or Hawaii

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

Proof of purchase not applicable

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

05/08/2023

Case Name

Subaru Battery Drain Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 1:20-cv-03095-JHR-MJS in the District Court for the District of New Jersey

Final Hearing

11/29/2022

Settlement Website

SubaruBatterySettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Subaru Battery Settlement Administrator
c/o JND Legal Administration
P.O. Box 91305
Seattle, WA 98111
info@SubaruBatterySettlement.com
1-855-606-2625

Class Counsel

Matthew Mendelson
MAZIE SLATER KATZ & FREEMAN LLC

Defense Counsel

Neal Walters
BALLARD SPAHR LLP