Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Toyota has been hit with a class action lawsuit by vehicle owners who claim that the 2019 and 2020 RAV4 Hybrids have defective fuel tank systems.
The plaintiffs say that Toyota advertises the fuel tank in RAV4 Hybrid vehicles as having a capacity of 14.5 gallons, but the tank in these vehicles can only be filled to the nine or 10 gallon mark.
One of the class action plaintiffs, Cole Coleman, says he purchased a new 2019 RAV4 Hybrid for around $31,889. He argues that, based on the defendant’s reported 14.5 gallon fuel tank capacity, he was led to believe that he would have been able to go more than 500 miles on one full tank of gas.
“Some consumers, like Plaintiffs and Class members, are willing to pay more for a hybrid vehicle that offers better gas mileage and is easier on the environment than its gas-only counterpart,” the Toyota class action lawsuit says.
As a result of an alleged defect in his Rav4 Hybrid, Coleman claims that he has to refuel his vehicle more frequently that he would have to if the gas tank didn’t have the defect.
He brought his RAv4 to a local Toyota dealership and was told that there was nothing they could do about the problem until Toyota comes out with a solution, the Toyota class action lawsuit maintains. Coleman alleges that the gas tank in his RAV4 only fills to about eight to 10 gallons, even when the full light indicates that the tank is not full.
The shape of the fuel tank causes the fuel pump to shut off before reaching the purported 14.5 gallons, according to the plaintiffs.
The defect in the fuel tank reduces the total driving distance of the vehicles, the plaintiffs maintain. They state that Toyota advertises that the RAV4 can go 580 miles on a single “full” tank of gas. However, in reality, drivers can only travel 400 miles on a “full” tank, because of the defect in the fuel tank, the Toyota class action lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiffs argue that Toyota has known or should have known about this defect because of numerous complaints by consumers, pre-release testing, and feedback from dealerships.
“Without the superior knowledge Toyota possesses about the defect, unsuspecting consumers continue to purchase the RAV4, expecting to be able to fill their vehicles with 14.5 gallons of fuel and to travel the mileage range Toyota advertises,” the plaintiffs maintain.
The plaintiffs also state that Toyota has not offered an option to fix the fuel tank defect. The Toyota class action plaintiffs claim that if they had known about the defect in the RAV4, they would not have bought the vehicles or would have paid less for them.
The Toyota class action lawsuit notes that Toyota redesigned the fuel tank in the RAV4 in 2019 and, since then, vehicle owners have filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reporting that they have not been able to fill the gas tanks on their vehicles.
A similar lawsuit was filed in January of this year by RAV4 owners who claim that they were unable to fully fill their gas tanks to the 14.5 gallon mark.
Have you encountered a problem with the gas tank in your RAV4? Leave a message in the comments section below.
The plaintiffs are represented by Lesley E. Weaver, Angelica M. Ornelas, and Joshua S. Samra of Bleichmar Fonti & Auld and Michael K. Yarnoff of Kehoe Law Firm PC.
The Toyota RAV4 Gas Tank Class Action Lawsuit is Coleman, et al. v. Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., Case No. 3:20-cv-01663, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2024 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
48 thoughts onToyota Class Action Says Fuel Tanks Are Defective
I bought a 2021 RAV4 hybrid LE in Nov 2020. I’m also having the same problem. I filled up at 10.788 gal w/ 21miles left. Still manage 38-40mpg. The issue still hasn’t been fixed on the 2021. I’ll have to call up Toyota. I want some $ back for the false advertisement. Would be nice if Toyota gave back like $500 then I wouldn’t mind. They better fix this problem.
I bought my Toyota RAV4 Limited Hybrid is Jan. 2020! I would have waited for the Honda CRV Hybrid to come out had I known about this annoying defect! I say annoying because I drive 40 minutes to and then from work, I was looking forward to filling up every 10 days! But no, I do not enjoy the benefits of a hybrid but did pay the price for it! How do I get in one the class action?
I bought 2020 RAv4 Hybrid XSE in September. I am having same fuel tank issues. I bought the hybrid SUV mainly due to the mileage. Called the dealership several times. All I hear is they have not heard about the issue before. The service person blamed it on me, she was like “the mileage depends on the way you drive”. I am really puzzled now. Every time I go fill up the tank the mileage keeps on going down and down. They want me to bring the car to the dealership for checkup which I disagree.
They cant even provide me ETA. No way I am leaving my new car with them for 2-3 weeks.
Same issue here. Brought my brand new 2020 RAV Hybrid to Toyota today and was told need to replace the fuel tank. How do I join a class action lawsuit?
Same problem.
I bought a 2020 Toyota RAV4 on August 30th. The vehicle hesitated and lurches at slow speeds. The dealership tells me that’s normal and now the fuel tank is not filling up like everyone on this thread. My vehicle is not a hybrid.
I bought in July with same issue. Brought it to Toyota today and was told need to replace the almost brand new car fuel tank. This is not right!
My wife and I bought a new 2020 RAV4 Hybrid last month. We max out at about 9 gallons. We feel like we were ripped off and getting so satisfaction from dealer. I am appalled that nothing was said before we bought car and this has been going on for 2 years.
2020 Hybrid Rav 4 gas tank and NO response from Toyota after several attempts. Paid over $40000 for false advertising of expected mileage with only getting 9 gallons of gas into a 14.5 gallon tank
Same thing with my 2020 Rav4 Hybrid. The only reason I bought it was for the fuel economy and the fact that I can get, according to the dealer, No less than 40 mpg with gas trips not needed for over 500 miles. I am constantly having to go to the gas stations to fill up. I can only get 8 to 10 gallons in at a time. The last fill up barely put 10 gallons in and the car said I had 3 miles till empty. I paid $37,434 for this vehicle. I was totally ripped off. The dealer assuring me it would not get less than 40 mpg. Never gotten that. According to the car itself, it averages 34. I want in on this lawsuit. And I would also like to know if I can sue the dealership.
I received a letter from Toyota related to this problem on my 2019 RAV4 Hybrid. It stated a fix was in the works and expected to be available about September 2020. It is now the end of September and I’ve heard nothing else. The car is due for service in about two weeks…hopefully the dealer will have some information, but I’m not optimistic. I bought Toyota because of many recommendations and their great reputation. Now I’m not so sure.