Toyota power liftgate class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Plaintiff Zach Hughes filed a class action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.
- Why: Hughes claims Toyota failed to disclose an alleged defect in power liftgates on its model year 2014-2021 RAV4s.
- Where: The Toyota power liftgate class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
A new Toyota class action lawsuit alleges the automaker failed to disclose that its model year 2014-2021 Toyota RAV4s have a defective power liftgate.
Plaintiff Zach Hughes’ class action lawsuit claims the power liftgates in the vehicles have poorly designed and/or manufactured hinges that can cause the liftgates to prematurely fail.
Hughes says Toyota is aware of the alleged defect, has actively concealed material facts regarding the defect from consumers and has been unable or unwilling to repair the class vehicles.
“Knowledge and information regarding the Defect were in the exclusive and superior possession of Defendants and its dealers, and this information was not disclosed to Plaintiff and members of the Class at the time of purchase, or otherwise,” the Toyota class action states.
Hughes wants to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased or leased a model year 2014-2021 Toyota RAV4 and a subclass of California consumers who are current or former owners and/or lessees of the class vehicle.
Toyota has long known about power liftgate defect, class action says
Hughes argues Toyota has long been aware of the alleged power liftgate defect due to pre-production and pre-sale testing, failure mode analyses, bench testing, warranty and post-warranty claims and consumer complaints via forums and through its dealers.
The class action lawsuit claims further that Toyota “refused” to take action to correct the defect in the event it manifested outside of the vehicles’ warranty period.
“Because the Defect can manifest shortly outside of the warranty period for the Class Vehicles — and given Defendants’ knowledge of the Defect — Defendants’ attempt to limit the warranty is unconscionable and unenforceable,” the Toyota class action says.
Hughes claims Toyota is guilty of unjust enrichment, fraudulent concealment, breach of express warranty and breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, and of violating the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act.
The plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting injunctive relief along with an award of punitive damages for himself and all class members.
Toyota recalled more than 1.8 million of its model year 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles in November over concerns an issue with certain replacement 12-volt batteries could present a fire hazard.
Have you had problems with the Toyota power liftgate in your RAV4? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Alison M. Bernal of Nye, Stirling, Hale, Miller & Sweet LLP and Matthew D. Schelkopf and Joseph B. Kenney of Sauder Schelkopf.
The Toyota RAV4s power liftgate class action lawsuit is Hughes v. Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., et al., Case No. 5:24-cv-00912, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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40 thoughts onToyota class action alleges RAV4s have potential power liftgate defect
I’ve had issues with my power lift gate on my 2015 Rav4 for years. I’ve replaced the motor once or twice but it hasn’t fixed the issue. It’s gotten to the point I dread opening the trunk
I am having liftgate issues also on a 2019 Rav4 Limited edition. The right side does not align when it is closed and there is a huge gap. when it rains or I wash my car it leaks. Took it to the dealership and was told it is out of alignment and I need to go to a body shop for repairs. Spoke with Toyota Customer care and awaiting their response. The Service manager also accused me of tampering with the lift gate to cause the damage. he was so out of line. I had concerns that I bought to the dealers attention back in 2022 when the car was still
under warranty, but was told that if the problem did not show up when the service department looked at it, it could not be addressed. The
only words I hear is you are out of warranty. I am so frustrated with these car companies. Toyota customer service also said that they were unaware of any liftgate concerns….smh
Our 2019 RAV4 xle has an issue with the back tail gate. On the right hand side there is about a 1/2 inch gap. On the left side the tail gate is touching the tail light. Called Toyota but no luck, was told to take it to their body shop. The car was bought in South Carolina
My 2015 Toyota Rav4’s lift gate gets stuck either half way up or down in cold weather! It’s beyond annoying. I cannot use the trunk space/lift gate
Does this apply to RAV 4 Hybrid Limited models?
I have 2019 RAV4 XSE with the same problem. The passenger side of the lift gate is popping out when it’s closed. The hinges are bent out of shape (coming off from the car body). I have 42K miles so I’m out of warranty. I brought it in January to the dealer where I purchased it from and was told I needed to go to a body shop. I explained that I was not in a rear end collision, so it makes no sense to me that I’d need to go to a bodyshop. I called Toyota Brand Engagement and they referred me to another dealer with an authorized collision center to inspect the car. That dealer acknowledged there is a problem with these hinges and that they will try to file for Toyota to pay for the repairs. For almost 2 months, I’ve been pleading with Toyota to authorize the repair. The last time I called, they hung up on me.
I hope this lawsuit forces Toyota to take responsibility for repairing these lift gates.
I have a 2020 RAV4, and I am having the same problem with the lift gate hing. The hinge is coming off from both sides, making the door uneven. Went to the dealership, (Scott Clark Toyota) they blamed the issue on me, saying that I backed up the car into a garage door. I mentioned to them that it was probably manufacturing issues, they said it was happening only with my car, so it wasn’t that. They couldn’t do anything for me and that I needed to find a body shop to get it fixed. They (Scott Clark Toyota) charged me $130 to check the lift gate. Called Toyota customer service, the first lady I talked to, hung up the fone when I mentioned the liftgate problem. Called again and this other lady, that sounds like she had just woke up, said that I had to pay that out of pocket.
My 2020 RAV4 XLE is experiencing the same issue. Tailgate started to misalign and eventually would fail to close automatically for a few attempts. Never manually closed and still no compensation from Toyota.
I am currently having an issue with my 2020 RAV 4 liftgate. The right side rubs against my tail light when i close it. I took it to my local Toyota Service Center and was referred to their collision center. I have not had any accidents, and there are no signs of a collision. I only have about 16,500 miles on the car.
My 2015 Toyota Rav4’s lift gate gets stuck either half way up or down in cold weather! It’s beyond annoying. I cannot use the trunk space/lift gate to haul laundry, groceries, anything large in the winter time! I would not have bought it if I knew it would be such a hassle. It’s a REAL TREAT trying to pry open the gate with a basket of clothes in my arms. Please help!