Toyota Class Action Alleges Defective Fuel Pump

A Toyota fuel injection pump class action lawsuit argues that some Toyota and Lexus vehicles possess defective fuel pumps.

The pumps allegedly can undergo pressure loss and cause a systemic fuel system failure. Allegedly, a Toyota fuel pump recall issued by the company has yet to remedy the problem.

The Toyota fuel pump recall class action lawsuit was filed by Lenard Shoemaker, a Scranton, Pennsylvania resident. He explains that around June 4, 2018 he purchased a Toyota Tundra for approximately $50,000.

Allegedly, the vehicle’s fuel delivery system was defective at the time of purchase, but neither the manufacturer nor the dealer informed him of this.

According to Shoemaker, he brought his vehicle in for an unrelated service, and while he was there, asked about the recall that Toyota had implemented to deal with the alleged fuel pump injection problem.

The Toyota fuel pump recall class action lawsuit goes on to say that the dealership staff told Shoemaker that they were aware of the recall, but explained that Toyota did not have a fix for the defect. 

Shoemaker says that he was financially injured by Toyota’s failure to inform him of the defect. He says he purchased his vehicle specifically because Toyota has a reputation for producing well-made vehicles. He says that if he had known that the vehicle was defective, he would not have purchased it or would not have paid as much as he did for it. 

Providing an example of how the alleged fuel pump defect impaired his enjoyment of the vehicle, Shoemaker notes that he wanted to take his Toyota Tundra to go fishing in Canada, but was worried about the vehicle’s performance, and the risk that it could fail during use.

Shoemaker explains that the impellers of the fuel pump either have a lower surface strength or were exposed to drying for a longer period of time, which can cause the surface to crack. Allegedly, this cracking may cause excess fuel absorption, which can in turn, further damage the impellers. This damage to the impellers can worsen to the point that the fuel pump becomes imperative, says Shoemaker.

This problem then can cause the check engine light to illuminate, cause the engine to not run smoothly, or not start at all, says Shoemaker. He goes on to say that the Toyota defect can reportedly cause the vehicle to stall while driving at a low speed. Less commonly, the vehicle can stall while driving at higher speeds, increasing a crash risk. 

The Toyota fuel pump recall class action lawsuit says that in addition to financially injuring customers, this defeat can put drivers and others at risk for physical injury or death if their vehicle malfunctions during use. 

The Toyota fuel pump recall class action lawsuit provides context for the alleged fuel pump failures, explaining that Toyota sources many vehicle components from Denso Corporation, a Japanese auto parts supplier. The fuel pump pressure failure class action lawsuit explains that Toyota is the largest shareholder of Denso, owning 24 percent of the company. 

Allegedly, Denso recognized as early as 2015 that the low-pressure fuel pumps were prone to failure. Denso reportedly filed a patent application in 2016, and in that application admitted that the plastic impellers in the low-pressure fuel pumps “may be swelled due to the fuel and water contained in the fuel, therefore a rotation of the impeller may be stopped when the impeller is swelled and comes into contact with the [fuel pump] housing.”

Shoemaker says that Toyota issued a report in 2019 that articulated that the company started to investigate the low pressure fuel pumps.

By January 2020, 66 Field Technical Reports produced by Toyota explain the problem. 

In the spring of 2020, Toyota reportedly implemented a recall in an attempt to deal with the problem.

However, the Toyota defect class action lawsuit says that despite the recall, Toyota has not yet fixed the vehicles. Instead, Toyota has left customers to drive the recalled vehicles, putting its customers at further risk.

Have you purchased or leased a Toyota? Share why you chose your vehicle in the comments below. 

Shoemaker is represented by Noah Axler of Axler Goldich LLC; and by Steve W. Berman, Thomas E. Loeser, and Jerrod C. Patterson of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.

The Toyota Defect Fuel Pump Class Action Lawsuit is Lenard Shoemaker v. Toyota Motor North America Inc., et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-00869-JEJ, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. 

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