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A class action lawsuit alleges Toyota and Lexus manufacturers misled consumers with a warranty program promoted as a fix for millions of car owners with defective dashboards.
The complaint claims “[t]he warranty program made promises Defendants could not keep.”
The Toyota class action lawsuit states that the auto manufacturers released several models of vehicles that had a latent defect in the dashboard – that would “melt or degrade upon prolonged exposure to the sun.”
The complaint asserts that Toyota knew about this defect, but did not inform affected vehicle owners. Instead, Toyota would offer costly repairs, thereby obtaining “further profit from the Defect by shifting responsibility for repair costs and delaying reimbursement for any repair costs for years.”
Several previous class actions were filed against Toyota to rectify this defect, according to the complaint. In 2014, those class actions were dismissed, but only “on the basis that millions of owners of automobiles with defective dashboards would receive voluntary and comprehensive warranty coverage,” according to the complaint.
However, the class action lawsuit asserts that Toyota did not have enough parts in stock to make the necessary repairs for every consumer, and also required the repairs to be done only at certified Toyota dealerships. Because of these restrictions, this lawsuit contends that “most” consumers have not been able to get their warranty work done. More importantly, the warranty period will expire on May 31, 2017, without these consumer being able to complete their repairs.
“Toyota is now in breach of its Program by failing to timely implement the repair component of the Program, leaving millions of consumers with defective dashboards and without any remedy,” the class action alleges.
Plaintiffs Wanda Jeffers and Jill Gibson state that they are mother and daughter, and jointly own a 2009 Toyota Camry affected by the dashboard defect. They received a notice of the defect and warranty from Toyota, and say they contacted their dealership in Florence, South Carolina. The plaintiffs claim that they made “repeated contacts” with their Toyota dealership but their vehicle has not been repaired.
The misleading dashboard warranty lawsuit requests certification of a Class of all persons in the U.S. who own a vehicle affected by the defect. Affected vehicles include: the “2003-2005 Toyota 4Runner, the 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, the 2007-2011 Toyota Camry and Toyota Camry Hybrid, the 2004-2010 Toyota Sienna, the 2004-2008 Toyota Solara, the 2006-2008 Lexus ES 350, the 2003-2008 Lexus GX 470, the 2006-2008 Lexus IS 250/350, the 2007 Lexus LS 460, the 2004-2006 Lexus RX 330, the 2007- 2009 Lexus RX 350, and the 2005-2008 Lexus RX 400h.”
The class action seeks compensatory damages, including damages caused by the warranty delay.
Jeffers and Gibson are represented by T. Christopher Tuck, A. Hoyt Rowell III, and Robert S. Wood of Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman LLC, Mark C. Tanenbaum and Mia Lauren Maness of the Law Offices of Mark C. Tanenbaum PA, and George D. Jebaily of Jebaily Law Firm PA.
The Toyota Dashboard Warranty Class Action Lawsuit is Wanda E. Jeffers, et al., v. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al., Case No. 4:17-cv-00577, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Florence Division.
UPDATE: The Toyota Dashboard Warranty Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on May 22, 2018. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know if a new case is filed.
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193 thoughts onToyota, Lexus Class Action Says Dashboard Warranty Program is Misleading
My 2011 Lexus ES350 has the same problem. It started about about 1 1/2 – 2 years ago. When I contacted Lexus HQ they said that the window for the “Customer Support Program” that covers this ended in March 2021. It is a sticky mess. I first noticed when I went to wipe my dog’s fur off the dash. Needless to say, my swiffer stuck and the dog fur did too.
I would like to be added to the class action lawsuit. Does it matter that my Lexus is not listed in the list of years the lawsuit covers? Could it be that there is a separate lawsuit for 2011?
Same for me with our 2006 Toyota Solara SLE convertible….started to show the stickiness and cracks in the last year. The only reason
it lasted this long was the way I detail my cars and it probably helped that it was garaged. Car has only 87k on it. I was lied to when I contacted Toyota recently about the problem and because I was the second owner of the car, I had no idea there were millions of Toyota/Lexus vehicles with the same issue. Please add my name to this.
I have a 2008 lexus es350 which is affected. Can I be added to this class action.
I have the same problem with my 2011 IS 350. Just started a couple weeks ago. Car spends most of the time in the garage and has only 40,000 miles.
Please add me to class action lawsuit.
Please add me to the class action lawsuit.
Add my name to the list for future class action against Toyota for their dash
i also was in direct contact with a representative with Toyota and she said my Camary was a salvage title and will not replace the car dash .the car only had 36 thousand miles on it and it only sub stained front end damage and it does not take much for insurance companies to total a car with 155 dollar an hour for garage hours. The car was repaired to normal with a fender and hood not even effecting the dash by any means. NOW if you look at the chemicals of making vinyl (polyvinylchloride) well known cancer causing component !!! the melting of the dash boards omit the chemicals in the cabin thus (us) we are breathing them !!! (ONE) being acute to workers making the vinyl and (TWO) chronic after the products are produced !!! Toyota is very aware and i had discussed this with her after researching it and would not be allowed to reach the top Officials with Toyota Toyota is trying save money at the expense of our lives!!! Literally thousands and thousands of us may very well develop rare forms of cancer for them to save money>>>>. (SHAMEFUL TOYOTA ) OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BACK US ON THIS
My Solara is a 2008 model, but still has only 95,000 miles on the odometer! I took perfect care of it. When I decided to buy a new Rav 4, the dealers tried to get that car – with only 76,000 miles, for $4,000.00. I let my son have it to drive, as a loaner. He has not paid a single dollar for it. This vehicle I now have is either number 8 or 9 of the new Toyotas I’ve purchased. All were Camrys except for 2005 when I bought a Corolla, and the Rav 4 I bought in 2017. When I called the company upon learning of the extent of this issue and the lawsuits, I expected to be one of those to whom they would respect even though that “warranty” which was only to avoid the government recall. They declined. I live in IL but the vehicle is a road hazard in Arkansas right now. It’s his 2nd vehicle but with gas prices, and his truck being a RAM, it needs to be drivable. The last lawsuit was dismissed in south Carolina. One in Florida says “Settled”.
Add me to the list – 2007 es-350. As above – garage kept – not subjected to temp extremes or sunlight abuse – 2021 noticed what i thought were surface scratches on dash. Never heard that Toyota / Lexus had such numerous issues. Who would have guessed this about a car company that was famous for quality and reliability. I too was told by Lexus ” sorry charlie” repair program ended.
In my opinion these issues qualify as “latent defects” undiscoverable by consumers. Its obvious by the number of complaints that this was a systemic issue. Can you say “Takata”?
How can we identify a defect during the warranty period that occurs so long after the warranty period expired.
I also believe that they issued a repair program
, with such a short effective period, only as a means to try to cover their corporate assess.
Its also obvious that these issues are so prevalent as to represent a systemic and latent defect.
RX350 2008 Model. Dashboard peeling off. The peel off started in and around 2020. Put a complaint in the Lexus corporate office. I never received a letter. They told me even if you received a letter you were not qualified as the peel off started after extended warranty. I don’t understand the argument here. It’s a faulty product that is failing at different times based on the weather conditions across US. Why 2018 arbitrary time limit.
2007 Lexus ES350, 90,000 A/C CORE cracked needed replacing. The repair shop called and now says unable to take the dash off, if they do it will break and not go back on. Car is kept in garage and I also notice the trunk release button has melted several years ago. So sticky you will have black goo on fingers. Never notified.