— A ZF-TRW airbag control unit lawsuit alleges electrical overstress damages components inside the control units and leaves the airbags without the ability to deploy.
In addition to ZF-TRW, the lawsuit also names Honda and Toyota as defendants for equipping millions of vehicles with the defective control units.
The proposed class action lawsuit includes former and current lessees and owners of the following vehicles equipped with ZF-TRW airbag control units.
- 2014-2019 Acura RLX
- 2014-2019 Acura RLX Hybrid
- 2012-2014 Acura TL
- 2015-2017 Acura TLX
- 2012-2014 Acura TSX
- 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon
- 2012-2013 Acura TSX Sportswagon
- 2013-2015 Honda Accord
- 2014-2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
- 2012-2015 Honda Civic
- 2012-2015 Honda Civic GX
- 2012-2015 Honda Civic Hybrid
- 2012-2015 Honda Civic Si
- 2012-2016 Honda CR-V
- 2012-2017 Honda Fit
- 2013-2014 Honda Fit EV
- 2012-2014 Honda Ridgeline
- 2012-2018 Toyota Avalon
- 2013-2018 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
- 2011-2019 Toyota Corolla
- 2017-2018 Toyota Corolla iM
- 2011-2013 Toyota Corolla Matrix
- 2012-2017 Toyota Sequoia
- 2012-2019 Toyota Tacoma
- 2012-2017 Toyota Tundra
The airbag control unit is used to sense whether to deploy airbags in a crash, and inside the unit is an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that monitors signals from crash sensors.
However, the plaintiff claims the ASIC is damaged when the airbag control unit suffers electrical overstress conditions caused by harmful electrical signals. This can cause the airbag control units to fail which disables the airbags.
According to the lawsuit, numerous other vehicles are also equipped with the allegedly faulty ZF-TRW airbag control units, leaving open the possibility these vehicles could be added to the lawsuit later.
- 2010-2011 Dodge Nitro
- 2009 Dodge Ram 1500
- 2010 Dodge Ram 3500
- 2012-2019 Fiat 500
- 2013-2019 Hyundai Sonata
- 2013-2019 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
- 2015-2017 Jeep Compass
- 2010-2012 Liberty
- 2015-2017 Jeep Patriot
- 2010-2018 Jeep Wrangler
- 2013 Kia Forte
- 2013 Kia Forte Koup
- 2013-2019 Kia Optima
- 2012-2016 Kia Optima Hybrid
- 2014 Kia Sedona
- 2013-2017 Mitsubishi Lancer
- 2013-2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
- 2014-2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
- 2013-2016 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
- 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander
- 2009-2012 Ram 1500
- 2010-2012 Ram 2500
- 2010-2012 Ram 3500
- 2011-2012 Ram 4500
- 2011-2012 Ram 5500
The lawsuit was filed just days after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a formal investigation of 12.3 million vehicles equipped with the same airbag control units.
The plaintiff claims the defective parts have caused "numerous injuries and deaths," yet ZF-TRW has continued to manufacture and sell the faulty components. Additionally, Honda, Toyota and other automakers have continued to equip their vehicles with the defective control units.
The ZF-TRW airbag control unit lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division - Samouris, et al., vs. ZF-TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP.
