Toyota Paint Damage Lawsuit Says Tacoma, Other Vehicles Not as Rugged as Advertised

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A new proposed class action lawsuit alleges Toyota has falsely advertised that certain vehicle models will be free of clear coat and paint damage for “many years,” no matter the terrain, weather and climate. 

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The 20-page first amended complaint was filed by a Redondo Beach, California, consumer who says that although defendant Toyota Motor North America represents that its vehicles are “rugged, built to last, and will hold up to the elements for years to come,” his Toyota Tacoma was covered with defective paint and/or clear coat. 

The consumer claims the paint and/or clear coat was “of poor quality and/or not properly or adequately applied,” which caused the clear coat to weaken and/or deteriorate and the paint to “oxidize and turn dull.” Ultimately, the class action says, oxidation causes vehicle paint to turn dull, become faded and take on a “chalky/dusty appearance.”

When a vehicle’s clear coat deteriorates, it can permanently dissolve the paint and leave the car’s body more susceptible to rust, the filing notes.

As the case tells it, many drivers have complained online about the Toyota Tacoma paint problems. The consumers broadly allege having reported the paint and clear coat issues to Toyota, “only to be ignored and have to take care of the damage themselves,” with the automaker “taking little to no responsibility.”

“The cost of repairs, depending on the extent of the damage, could range from $500 to $6,000, if not more,” the Toyota paint lawsuit alleges. 

The lawsuit contends that the value of the Toyota vehicles with clear coat and/or paint issues was materially less than the value represented by the automaker. Consumers would not have bought their Toyotas, or would have paid less for them, had they known of the apparent paint and/or clear coat problems, the case argues. 

The lawsuit looks to cover all persons in the United States who bought a Toyota vehicle, such as the Tacoma, within the applicable statute of limitations period. 

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