The soy-based wiring lawsuit alleges Toyota skipped using plastic or glass-based insulation in place of soy, which is allegedly better for the environment.Ī Toyota soy wiring class-action lawsuit alleges rats, mice, squirrels and other animals are enticed to chew the wires that causes damage to all kinds of electrical components, leaving Toyota owners to pay thousands for repairs. Once chewed, the damaged wiring can cause all kinds of vehicle functions to fail, allegedly creating a safety hazard.
Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., et al.Īccording to the plaintiffs, Toyota switched to soybean coated wires in various cars, vans, SUVs and trucks, but the wiring is allegedly defective because it attracts rats and other rodents. Click on the lawsuit for more information and to see if you're eligible to receive any potential settlements. Many times these are class-action suits that look to cover a group of owners in a particular area. Lawsuits about this problem have already been filed in court. may be bad news for the other pending cases. The Court declines to extend the doctrine so far." " Plaintiffs are, in effect, asking the Court to stretch the implied warranty of merchantability to include some promise that no external actor will later harm Plaintiffs’ vehicles. The judge agreed that the arguments are a stretch. Toyota argued that rodents were a problem long before switching to soy-based wiring and that one plaintiff's pointing out they had mice in their cabin is “entirely consistent with the idea that something other than insulation might explain these plaintiffs’ various rodent encounters.” "Considering this considerable variance, it isn’t clear that Toyota could have specifically articulated any increased “risk” to any particular part of Plaintiffs’ vehicles because of the soy coated wiring." - Judge Andrew Guilford The judge ruled many arguments in favor of Toyota, starting with the platintiffs using competing arguments as to why rodents eat the wires. One case dismissed, others soon to follow? ∞Ī third lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in June of 2018. Ultimately, it ends up substantially increasing the costs associated with owning a Toyota. The mice had chewed through so much of the wiring the dealership allegedly told him to immediately stop driving the truck because it could catch fire.īoth lawsuits argue that Toyota violated fraud and consumer protection laws because they know the new wiring attracts rodents, but even damaged wiring is replaced with the same problematic coating. When brought his Toyota Sequoia to the dealership for a routine oil change on December 8, 2016, he allegedly learned mice had caused extensive damage to the truck. Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., was filed in Massachusetts. Toyota told her rodents had caused the damage and it would be no problem to repair the problems as long as she could cough up $6,000 to cover the bill.Ī year later another class-action lawsuit, Roscoe v. Toyota Motor Corporation the plaintiff argued that Toyota knows about the problem but does nothing to help fix it.Īccording to the plaintiff, she learned the hard way about the soy wiring when her Avalon wouldn't start and a look under the hood showed wires chewed, so she had the car towed to a dealer. The soy-based wire coatings were the subject of a lawsuit that was filed back in December of 2016. Wasn't it Toyota's decision to change the environment? Bring on the Lawsuits ∞ The warranty specifically excludes damage from "airborne chemicals, tree sap, road debris (including stone chips), rail dust, hail, floods, wind storms, lightning and other environmental conditions." Owners say Toyota denies any rodent-related warranty claims to the electrical system because its classified under "other environmental conditions" in their express warranty. It's a huge tab and if you're thinking Toyota will pick it up, think again. The resulting damage can cost owners anywhere between $2,000 and $9,000.
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