A proposed class action has been filed against Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Motor North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc., and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (collectively, “Toyota) alleging that a defect in the 2020 Toyota RAV4 causes battery power to drain while the vehicle is turned off. This draining then quickly disables the battery, the lawsuit contends, in addition to causing other electrical and safety features to malfunction, including the alternator, headlights/taillights, and power steering.
The class action contends the alleged defect affects all configurations of the 2020 RAV4, including: LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure, TRD Off-Road, Limited, LE Hybrid, XLE Hybrid, XSE Hybrid, and Limited Hybrid. The problem allegedly arises from electrical system components and subsystems that continue to draw electricity from the battery even when the vehicle is not in use, causing “parasitic drain” of the battery. And, the plaintiff contends, Toyota has misrepresented and concealed this defect; while asserting the vehicles at issue maintain a normal battery life of three to five years, the defect causes the battery to deplete long beforehand, within months or days of a consumer taking possession of the affected RAV4.
The class representative, a Georgia resident, claims issues tied to the allegedly defective battery in his 2020 RAV4 cost him more than $546 in out-of-pocket expenses. He raises claims including breach of warranty, violation of state consumer law, unjust enrichment, and fraudulent concealment. The remedies he seeks via the lawsuit include damages and disgorgement of Toyota’s profits from the sale or lease of the class vehicles.
The case is Nick McClure v. Toyota Motor Corp., et al., case number 1:22-cv-03898-SEG, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
