— A Toyota fuel pump recall was issued for 696,000 vehicles in the U.S., but a class action lawsuit alleges the recall didn't include all the Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with defective Denso fuel pumps.
According to the January recall, the fuel pumps are located in the fuel tanks, but the impellers inside the pumps can deform due to excessive fuel absorption.
The Denso pumps can cause the vehicles to run rough and stall, typically at speeds below 20 mph. Toyota told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 66 field reports were received about the fuel pumps, and 63 of those reports involved vehicles traveling less than 20 mph.
The remaining three reports involved vehicles traveling above 20 mph, and the fuel pumps failed primarily in southern states with hotter climates.
In addition, the automaker says it has received more than 2,500 warranty claims related to the Denso fuel pumps. When the recall was announced the automaker said a remedy for the recall was still being worked on, but Toyota and Lexus owners would be notified by March 13, 2020.
Included in the recall are 696,000 of these Toyota and Lexus models. Other vehicles aren't recalled because they allegedly are not equipped with the same fuel pumps produced in the same production period, or they are equipped with different pumps.
- 2018-2019 Lexus LS 500
- 2018-2019 Lexus LC 500
- 2018-2019 Lexus RC 350
- 2018-2019 Lexus RC 300
- 2018-2019 Lexus GS 350
- 2018-2019 Lexus IS 300
- 2018-2019 Lexus ES 350
- 2018-2019 Lexus LX 570
- 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460
- 2018-2019 Lexus RX 350
- 2019 Lexus NX 300
- 2019 Lexus RX 350L
- 2019 Lexus GS 300
- 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner
- 2018-2019 Toyota Camry
- 2018-2019 Toyota Highlander
- 2018-2019 Toyota Land Cruiser
- 2018-2019 Toyota Sequoia
- 2018-2019 Toyota Sienna
- 2018-2019 Toyota Tacoma
- 2018-2019 Toyota Tundra
- 2019 Toyota Avalon
- 2019 Toyota Corolla
The automaker says certain hybrid vehicles are equipped with the Denso fuel pumps, but a hybrid vehicle will enter failsafe mode if the pump fails. Toyota says the hybrids weren't included in the recall because of a lack of safety hazards, but the automaker will announce a customer service campaign in the future for the hybrids.
The fuel pump lawsuit alleges Toyota should have recalled more vehicles because all 2018-2019 vehicles equipped with Denso pumps that begin with part numbers 23220 or 23221 are defective.
New York plaintiff Sharon Cheng leased a new 2019 Lexus RX 350 in January of 2019, and although the plaintiff doesn't claim in the lawsuit the fuel pump failed, she says the defective pump caused her vehicle to lose value.
The class action also alleges Toyota knew about the fuel pump problems because of receiving 2,571 Denso fuel pump warranty claims. The automaker allegedly should have offered free loaner vehicles until a permanent fix was available.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York: Cheng, et al., v. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., and Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP.
