Mitsubishi class action alleges Outlander PHEVs contain battery defect

Mitsubishi class action overview: 

• Who: Mitsubishi is facing a class action lawsuit involving its 2023 Outlander PHEV vehicles. 
• Why: The Mitsubishi class action claims Outlander PHEV vehicle batteries lack a necessary heating component, causing the vehicles to fail to start in cold weather.
• Where: The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV lawsuit was filed in federal court in Pennsylvania.

Mitsubishi is facing a class action lawsuit claiming that its 2023 Outlander PHEV vehicles lack a battery heating component, making the vehicles unable to start in cold weather.

Mitsubishi internal materials acknowledge the issue and the company has heard from customers about the Mitsubishi battery issues, but it has done nothing to fix those issues, the Mitsubishi class action says.

The battery issue can leave vehicle owners stranded in cold and dangerous conditions, the lawsuit claims.

“The defect (i.e., the absence of a battery heating component) renders the class vehicles unsuitable for their intended purpose — transportation,” the class action says. “Moreover, the lack of a heater for preheating in colder weather also affects charging speed, capacity and battery degradation.”

Lawsuit claims Mitsubishi battery issues strand owners, leave them stuck with costs

Mitsubishi knew about Outlander PHEV battery issues that led to owners paying out of pocket to diagnose and fix their vehicles on their own, the Mitsubishi class action argues. Despite this knowledge, the company has done nothing to help its customers, the lawsuit says.

“Owners of class vehicles report claims of the vehicles shutting down and being undriveable in extreme cold, due in large part to the absence of a battery heating system,” the Mitsubishi battery lawsuit says. “Because the vehicle can neither be started nor operated if the drive battery is too cold, the absence of a drive battery heater leaves the owners with the sole option of waiting for the weather to change for the battery to warm up enough to become operable.”

In a separate case, Mitsubishi argued in March 2023 that there was no basis for reviving a faulty hood class action claim.

Have you had issues with your 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV battery in cold weather? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Marc Edelson and Liberato P. Verderame of Edelson Lechtzin LLP, along with Jonathan Shub, Benjamin F. Johns and Samantha E. Holbrook of Shub and Johns LLC.

The Mitsubishi class action lawsuit is Schecter v. Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc., Case No. 2:24-cv-00246, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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