Subaru Fuel Pump Lawsuits
Subaru markets its vehicles as safe and long lasting and with a promoted reputation as one of the most reliable auto manufacturers in the U.S. Purchasers of Subaru vehicles may have paid a premium for their Subaru vehicle due to the reputation and marketing messages. In addition to being placed at risk of serious injury or death due to fuel pump failure, purchasers may have suffered financial loss due to repair costs, vehicle value losses and other damages.
People whose Subaru vehicle has been affected by the DENSO fuel pump failure may be eligible for compensation. Whether or not a vehicle has experienced fuel pump failure, owners or operators of certain 2013-2019 Subaru vehicles including Subaru Forester, Impreza, Outback, Ascent, Crosstrek, WRX, and Legacy automobiles may be eligible for compensation.
What is the Subaru Lawsuit About?
A large number of complaints have been reported about fuel pump failure in Subaru automobiles. The company issued a recall for four of its models from the 2019 production year including Outback, Impreza, Legacy and Ascent. It appears that other vehicles with may have the same fuel pump issues but were not included in the recalls. Complaints have also been lodged for the 2019 Subaru forester and for other models from years 2013 through 2018.
Subaru has built its reputation on “safety and reliability” and charges a premium for their cars that will reportedly maintain the value, remaining safe and dependable for many years. A fuel pump that fails may place the vehicle occupants at risk of injury and death. Fuel pump failure may also render the vehicle inoperable, leaving drivers and passengers with no transportation.
The vehicle owner may also have paid more for the reputation and may suffer financial loss when the vehicle loses value due to fraudulent claims of safety by the manufacturer.
What do the Subaru Lawsuits Claim?
The fuel pump failure lawsuit filed against Subaru claim that the company used false and misleading marketing or advertising regarding safety and reliability, concealed the dangers of fuel pump defects and failed to act in good faith or honor warranty.
The lawsuit claims state that Subaru had known about the faulty fuel pumps as early as 2013 but continued to sell Subaru Outback, Impreza, Legacy, Ascent and Forester models manufactured with DENSO fuel pumps anyway. This action may have resulted in harm and threat of harm to owners, operators, and passengers of Subaru automobiles.
What are the DENSO Fuel Pump Issues in Subaru Vehicles?
The Denso Fuel Pump System used in affected Subaru vehicles utilizes two pumps: one in-tank low-pressure pump and a second in-line high-pressure pump. The pump subject to the fuel pump failure issue is the low-pressure pump, located inside of the fuel tank. It works to push fuel through the fuel lines using impellers located under the pump motor.
The impellers driving the low-pressure pump are constructed of a low-density plastic-type material which once exposed to production solvent, may crack, or absorb fuel, causing impellers to deform and not spin freely, coming into contact with the body of the fuel pump motor, and becoming lodged.
This may result in problems with the fuel pump operation or may result in complete fuel pump failure due to a stopped impeller. Failure of the fuel pump will cause engine shut off, even while driving. This may lead to accident, injury or even death. In other cases, the automobile may be unable to start, leaving the motorist stranded. Repair, replacement, towage, and other fees inherent in an inoperable vehicle may be significant, and the value of the vehicle may be negatively impacted.
Is there a Subaru Recall?
Subaru issued a recall for more than 188,000 vehicles manufactured with DENSO fuel pumps, but other models may be affected by the fuel pump issue. Subaru’s initial recall only included the 2019 models of the Subaru Outback, Impreza, Legacy and Ascent. The recall was expanded in April 2021 to include 2018-2020 vehicles in a number of models and since, a number of organizations have addressed some additional vehicles of model years 2018-2020 including 2018 Forester, 2018-2019 BRZ, 2018-2019 WRX, 2018-2020 Impreza, 2018-2020 Legacy, 2018-2020 Outback, and 2019-2020 Ascent..
Though there have been a number of complaints involving other Subaru vehicles which were manufactured with the DENSO pump, they were not included in the recall. This may have left hundreds of thousands of vehicle owners and operators at threat of harm and unaware of the risks.
In addition, Subaru’s recall did not address other risks that the fuel pump failure may have caused. The company has also been accused of waiting to notify customers, leaving them at risk for longer than necessary.
What Vehicles Are Affected by the Recall?
Reports of complaints from the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), warranty claims and records, non-warranty repair records and Subaru company records indicate that the Denso fuel pump failures may affect models and years that have not been recalled.
Denso fuel pump failures have been reported in Subaru models ranging from 2013 model year to 2019 model year and affected Subaru models may include:
- Subaru Outback
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Ascent
- Subaru Forester
- Subaru Crosstrek
- Subaru WRX
- Subaru BRZ
What is the Status of Subaru Fuel Pump Lawsuits?
Multiple lawsuits have already been filed against Subaru by automobile owners who may have been harmed by the failure of Subaru to adequately address concerns about the Denso fuel pump. Four separate lawsuits were consolidated into one class-action case and though Subaru has been able to get some lawsuit claims dismissed, others are in progress.
People whose Subaru automobile or DENSO fuel pump automobile has suffered fuel pump failure or problems, or people who purchased a 2013 to 2019 Subaru Outback, Forester, Impreza, Ascent, BRZ, WRX, Crosstrek, or Legacy may be eligible for compensation and should seek legal advice.