Toyota Highlander Fuel Tank Defect Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Samuel J. and Belinda A. Prince filed a class action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Sales, USA.
- Why: The Princes claim Toyota fails to disclose that the fuel tanks in its 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander vehicles are defective.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in New Jersey federal court.
Toyota sells model year 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander vehicles with defective fuel tanks that can’t be filled to their advertised capacity, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiffs Samuel J. and Belinda A. Prince claim the alleged fuel tank defect increases emissions, alters the vehicle’s promised driving range and increases risk of overflow while gassing up.
Toyota fails to disclose the alleged fuel tank defect to consumers prior to them purchasing the vehicles, the class action lawsuit alleges.
The Princes claim that, despite the 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander vehicles having an advertised fuel tank capacity of 17.1 gallons, gas pumps will automatically shut off at between 12 to 14 gallons when filling up an empty tank.
Toyota has acknowledged that only approximately 14.2 gallons of the fuel tank are usable even though the fuel tanks technically have a capacity of 17.1 gallons, according to the class action lawsuit.
“Consumers can attempt to force the tank to accept more fuel by slowly adding gas after the automatic shut-off has been triggered, but many have reported gas then spilling out of the vehicle well before the tank has actually been filled to the advertised capacity of 17.1 gallons,” the class action lawsuit states.
Toyota Highlanders Don’t Reach Promised 615 Miles, Class Action Says
The Princes claim the alleged fuel tank defect causes the Toyota Highlander vehicles to fall below their advertised driving range of 615 miles on a full tank.
Further, they argue Toyota continues to advertise that the vehicles have a 17.1 gallon fuel tank capacity despite knowing that not all of the space is usable.
The Princes claim Toyota is guilty of breach of express warranty and breach of implied warranty of merchantability, and in violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
They want to represent a New Jersey class of consumers who purchased or leased a 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander equipped with a hybrid powertrain.
Plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory relief along with compensatory, statutory and exemplary damages for themselves and all class members.
A similar class action lawsuit was filed last June by consumers in California who claim Toyota failed to disclose that the fuel systems in its 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander vehicles are defective.
Have you purchased or leased a model year 2020-21 Toyota Highlander? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Simon B. Paris and Patrick Howard of Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, PC, and Daniel E. Gustafson, David M. Goodwin and Ling S. Wang of Gustafson Gluek PLLC.
The Toyota Highlander Fuel Tank Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Prince, et al., v. Toyota Motor Sales, USA, et al., Case No. 2:22-cv-01682, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
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116 thoughts onToyota Class Action Alleges Highlander Fuel Tanks Don’t Fill All The Way
Samething in Reno, NV 2020 highlander hybrid platnium. Only getting 12-13 on the feul tank.
Same issue on my 2021 Hybrid. Low fuel indicator comes on and it only fills 13 gallons.
Same problem here in Florida with a 2021 Highlander 2021
Same problem. Just lies from dealer. Found a service bulletin and I am requesting replacement Tank. Bulldetin is T-SB-0008-22
How about this I have a 2022 highlander XLE it’s suppose to get me 17.9 gallons of gas it’s only getting me 14.2 gallons total including the reserve where is the other 3.7 gallons of gas and it’s suppose to get me 550 mile’s until empty it only gets me 295 miles. I already open a case up with Toyota they are not doing anything
Me too. Just got 2022 Highlander XLE. OCTOBER 10 Had 12 miles to empty. Filled up and only took 13.4 gallons. Should have 500 or more miles to empty but only have 285 on full tank
Forget about getting help from dealer or Toyota headquarters. No one has helped me yet. Still a great vehicle but frustrating
I have got a 2022 highlander xle and I have got the same issue.
Same Issue on my 2021 XLE Hybrid
I purchased a 2020 highlander hybrid and would like to know how I can join in the class action siut. Although I’d prefer to be able to fill the car to the 17.1 capacity.
After 9000 miles ( and never able to put more than 12 gallons) I was finally able to fill up to where my gauge told me I could drive 600 mile to empty. Drove about 240 miles and decided to fill up again . The reading went back to 520 to empty.
After 9000 miles ( and never able to put more than 12 gallons) I was finally able to fill up to where my gauge told me I could drive 600 mile to empty. Drove about 240 miles and decided to fill up again . The reading went back to 520 to empty. That’s how I found myself on this site.
I purchased a 2021 Highlander xle, and realized I got better gas mileage in a RAV4. In my Highlander on a complete fuel up I get about 305 miles until empty. This is extremely frustrating when traveling and just simply driving around the city.
Please Add me too!
Hey I contacted the ftc if we get more pope to join us we have a class action lawsuits because the lawyers here are not going to contact us at all they just use our post to show the court room how many people have defective tank that’s all.
Count me in. I can only get 14 gallons when my tank say 10 miles until empty.
Same issue with my 2021 Highlander XLE Hybrid. Mentioned this to the service department and they acknowledged that this is a newly known issue and ordered a new fuel tank and line. Getting the work done in a few days when the parts come in.
We had the gas tank, etc replaced from their TSB, but it made no difference. Service guy just told us 3-4 gallons are “not usable, just venting space”. This sounds like BS to me.
It’s is they tried that shit with me