Toyota Class Action: Faulty Bypass Valve in RAV4 & Corolla?

Toyota is being accused of failing to warn consumers about a faulty bypass valve despite knowing about a longstanding issue with the parts, which can damage vehicle motors and cause “catastrophic failure,” a new lawsuit alleges.

The defect, which effects model years 2019-2023 Toyota RAV4 and Corolla vehicles, was “actively concealed” by the car manufacturer and consumers were left with costly repairs, repeat failures of the coolant bypass valves because the purported repairs do not actually fix the issue, and diminished intrinsic and resale value of their cars, the lawsuit says. 

Toyota's Coolant Bypass Valve: A Ticking Time Bomb?

Toyota drivers Geri Barrientos and Michael Foerst filed the proposed class action lawsuit accusing the company of hiding the issue to increase profits, saying Toyota and its dealers had “exclusive and superior possession”  of the information about the issue that was not passed on to consumers at time of purchase. 

The issue at hand is that the defectively “designed and manufactured” coolant bypass valves fail and coolant leaks out of the closed-loop coolant system. 

“This adversely impacts the ability of the coolant system to properly regulate the temperature of the engine, and can lead to engine overheating, stalling, increased emissions and catastrophic engine failure,” the lawsuit states. 

The leaking coolant can also leak into the surrounding engine parts, including the electrical system, and damage those components, as well as causing other issues. 

Toyota Drivers Face Mounting Costs and Repairs

Barrientos and Foerst both said in the lawsuit that they bought a 2020 Toyota RAV4 in early 2020 and by 2024 were both notified by the vehicles’ alert systems that the engines need servicing. When they took the cars to be checked, Barrientos was told she needed to pay $300 to repair the valve, and Foerst was quoted $700, according to the lawsuit.

Both said they had “suffered an ascertainable loss” as a result of Toyota not alerting them to the coolant bypass valve defect, including out-of-pocket losses, diminished value of their vehicles, and other consequential damages. 

“Because the Defect can manifest shortly outside of the warranty period for the Class Vehicles—and given Defendants’ knowledge of the Defect—Defendants’ attempts to limit the warranty is unconscionable and unenforceable,” the lawsuit argues.

A History of Defects: Toyota's Troubled Track Record

The faulty bypass valve is far from the only issue Toyota has had to deal with in recent years. Just a couple of months ago, the company was forced to recall 4,200 model year 2023-2024 Camrys and Camry Hybrids due to “insufficiently welded head restraint brackets.” 

It also had to recall 381,199 model year 2022-2023 Tacoma pickup trucks due to an issue with the axle shaft sub-assembly, which could separate from the axle housing and cause improperly secured fasteners which could lead to impaired braking, according to Consumer Affairs. 

One of the biggest cases Toyota has been involved in in recent years was to do with faulty airbags. In late 2023, the company agreed to settle a class action lawsuit about its vehicles containing faulty airbags by paying out $78.5 million to consumers. 

In the Toyota faulty bypass valve class action lawsuit, Barrientos and Foerst want to represent a nationwide class of Toyota drivers. They are accusing Toyota of various offenses, including breaching warranties, fraudulent concealment, unjust enrichment, and violating multiple consumer protection laws in Florida and California.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Barrientos et al. v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. et al.
• Case Number: 3:24-cv-03282
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Alison M. Bernal (Nye, Stirling, Hale, Miller & Sweet, LLP)
• Joseph B. Kenney (Sauder Schelkopf)