— A Mitsubishi airbag control unit settlement has been reached for certain Outlander and Lancer customers.
The Mitsubishi airbag class action lawsuit settlement includes, "all persons or entities who or which, on November 1, 2024, own or lease or previously owned or leased Mitsubishi Class Vehicles distributed for sale or lease in the United States or any of its territories or possessions."
Included in the settlement are the following vehicles:
- 2013-2017 Mitsubishi Lancer
- 2013-2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
- 2013-2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
- 2013-2016 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
- 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander
The Mitsubishi lawsuit alleges the ZF-TRW airbag control units and component parts are defective because they can suffer from electrical overstress. This can cause airbag failures.
Lawyers began filing ZF airbag control unit class action lawsuits against several automakers after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an airbag control unit investigation in 2018.
At least 13 class action lawsuits were filed against ZF-TRW and multiple automakers.
- Steve Croft et al. v. ZF Friedrichshafen AG et al
- Mark Altier et al. V. ZF-TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. et al
- William Bell et al v. ZF Friedrichshafen AG et al
- Adalgisa Santos et al v. ZF Friedrichshafen AG et al
- Gary E. Samouris et al v. ZF-TRW Automotive Holdings Corporation et al
- Barry Adams et al v. ZF Active Safety and Electronics US LLC
- Thomas Payne et al v. ZF Friedrichshafen AG et al
- David Radi et al v. FCA US LLC et al
- Sigfredo Rubio et al v. ZF-TRW Automotive Holdings Corp, et al
- Michael Van Ness v. FCA US LLC et al
- Robert A. Underwood v. Kia Motors America, Inc et al
- Ryan Baldwin et al v. Kia Motors America, Inc et al
- Kaya Lawrence v. ZF-TRW Automotive Holdings Corp et al
Those class actions were consolidated into one lawsuit titled, In Re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation.
NHTSA closed the airbag control unit investigation after concluding recall repairs were adequate.
Mitsubishi Airbag Control Unit Settlement
According to the airbag settlement, a customer may receive up to $250 per class vehicle by filing a valid claim form.
If more than one customer submits a valid claim form for the same Mitsubishi vehicle, the original owner who purchased that vehicle will receive 60% of the funds allocated to that vehicle, and the remaining 40% will be distributed evenly to or among the remaining customer(s) who submit a valid claim form on that Mitsubishi vehicle.
Mitsubishi also agreed to create a settlement inspect program which will operate for 10 years. Mitsubishi will offer an inspection for vehicles "that are involved in a qualifying incident."
"A qualifying incident is one in which a Class Vehicle has been involved in a frontal crash and 'Mitsubishi has received notice of a personal injury or property damage incident in which a ZF-TRW airbag control unit, seatbelt pretensioner, and/or airbag did not deploy;' or 'Mitsubishi has received notice that the driver and/or passenger in any of the front seats of the Mitsubishi Class Vehicle allegedly died or suffered a Serious Injury in a frontal collision in which any of that person’s Airbags or seatbelt pretensioners did not deploy.'”
According to the airbag control unit settlement, the three Mitsubishi customers who filed the class action will receive up to $2,500 each, and the attorneys representing those customers will receive $2.5 million.
Mitsubishi customers can check their VIN here or file a claim here.
This airbag settlement is not final until the judge grants final approval. That hearing is scheduled for April 7, 2025.
The Mitsubishi airbag control unit lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: In Re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation.
The plaintiffs are represented by Baron & Budd, P.C., Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, Ahdoot & Wolfson, PC, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP, Boies, Schiller & Flexner L.L.P., Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP, DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC, Gibbs Law Group LLP, Keller Rohrback L.L.P., Kessler Topaz Meltzer and Check LLP, Podhurst Orseck, P.A., Pritzker Levine LLP, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, and Robins Kaplan LLP.
