Toyota class action alleges some vehicles contain defective coolant bypass valves

Toyota coolant bypass valves class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Geri Barrientos and Michael Foerst filed a class action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor North America Inc. 
• Why: Barrientos and Foerst claim Toyota failed to disclose a coolant bypass valve defect affecting its model year 2019-2023 RAV4 and Corolla vehicles. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court. 

Toyota failed to disclose that its model year 2019-2023 RAV4 and Corolla vehicles contain defective coolant bypass valves that fail prematurely, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiffs Geri Barrientos and Michael Foerst’s class action lawsuit claims Toyota “actively concealed material facts about the defect from consumers, including, among other things, that the vehicles were prone to the defect and require costly fixes to repair. 

“At all relevant times, Defendants knew, or through the exercise of reasonable care had reason to know, that the coolant bypass valves in the Class Vehicles were defective and that the existence of this Defect would materially affect Plaintiffs and the Class’s … decision to purchase the Class Vehicles,” the Toyota class action says. 

Barrientos and Foerst want to represent a nationwide class and Florida and California subclasses of consumers who bought or leased a model year 2019-2023 Toyota RAV4 or Corolla vehicle. 

Toyota coolant bypass valves can’t be repaired by automaker, class action claims 

Barrientos and Foerst argue Toyota is unable or unwilling to “adequately repair” the Corolla and RAV4 vehicles when the alleged coolant bypass valve defect manifests, despite allegedly being obligated to by warranty. 

“Despite the existence of the Warranties, Toyota failed to inform Plaintiffs and Class Members of the Defect and failed to adequately repair the Defect,” the Toyota class action says. 

Barrientos and Foerst claim Toyota is guilty of breach of express warranty and breach of implied warranty of merchantability, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment, and of violating the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, and California’s Unfair Competition Law, Consumers Legal Remedies Act and Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. 

The plaintiffs demand a jury trial and request declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of punitive damages for themselves and all class members. 

A consumer filed a separate class action lawsuit against Toyota earlier this year over claims the automaker falsely advertises the value of its prepaid ToyotaCare Plus maintenance plan. 

Have you purchased or leased a model year 2019-2023 Toyota RAV4 or Corolla vehicle? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are 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 coolant bypass valves class action lawsuit is Barrientos, et al. v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., et al., Case No. 4:21-cv-06770, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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