Toyota agreed to a $78.5 million class action settlement over defective ZF-TRW airbag control units in seven Toyota models from the 2011 through 2019 model years. The Toyota airbag control unit settlement received final court approval on November 28, 2023, and an appeal was dismissed on December 11, 2025. Claims are being processed on a rolling basis, and the deadline to file is December 11, 2028.1In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 2:19-ml-02905 (C.D. Cal.)
Vehicles Covered
The settlement class covers current and former owners and lessees as of July 31, 2023, of the following Toyota vehicles:
- 2011–2019 Corolla
- 2011–2013 Corolla Matrix
- 2012–2018 Avalon
- 2013–2018 Avalon HV
- 2012–2019 Tacoma
- 2012–2017 Tundra
- 2012–2017 Sequoia
The first four are “Recalled Vehicles” under NHTSA Recall No. 20V-024, issued January 17, 2020, which covered about 2.89 million cars. The Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia are classified as “Unrecalled Vehicles” but remain eligible for certain benefits under the settlement.
Before filing, check your vehicle using the VIN lookup tool on the official settlement website at AirbagControlUnitSettlement.com. A separate claim form must be submitted for each eligible vehicle.
What You Can Claim
Out-of-Pocket Reimbursement
Owners of recalled vehicles can seek reimbursement for expenses tied to the recall. Eligible costs include unreimbursed rental car and transportation charges, towing, childcare during recall service, out-of-pocket repair costs for ZF-TRW airbag control units, and lost wages from time spent dropping off or picking up the vehicle for the recall work.
Documentation matters. Claims should be supported by receipts, invoices, or credit card statements. For lost wages, a written statement or internal record works. If you don’t have paperwork, you can submit a signed affidavit, but failing to provide requested information can lead to denial.
Residual Payment up to $250
Once eligible reimbursement claims are paid, whatever is left in the fund is distributed on a per-person basis to class members who filed a valid claim. These residual payments are capped at $250 per claimant, though the parties can agree to raise that cap. Owners of both recalled and unrecalled vehicles qualify for the residual payment, whether or not they had any out-of-pocket costs.
Extended 12-Year Parts Warranty
Toyota extended the warranty on new parts installed during the recall to 12 years, running from July 31, 2023. Both parts and labor are covered. If your vehicle has already had the recall work done, the extended warranty applies automatically. If it hasn’t, the warranty kicks in once the recall is completed.
Loaner or Rental Car for Recall Service
If you bring a recalled vehicle in for the recall repair, you can ask for a courtesy loaner while the work is being done. When no loaner is available, you can seek reimbursement from the settlement fund for reasonable rental car costs. Owners of the Tacoma, Tundra, or Sequoia would become eligible for loaner coverage if a future ZF-TRW airbag control unit recall is issued for those models before the December 2028 claims deadline.
Inspection Program After a Non-Deployment Crash
The settlement funds an inspection program for class vehicles involved in frontal crashes in which the airbags or seatbelt pretensioners did not deploy as expected. A separate $3.5 million outreach effort is aimed at getting more affected owners to complete the recall.
How To File a Claim
You can file online at AirbagControlUnitSettlement.com or by mail to the settlement administrator. Mailed claims must be postmarked by December 11, 2028.
The mailing address is:
Toyota Airbag Control Unit Settlement
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration, LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
Kroll Settlement Administration is the Settlement Special Administrator, and its decisions on claims are final. For questions, call 1-833-747-5737 or email info@airbagcontrolunitsettlement.com.
Where the Settlement Stands
Judge John A. Kronstadt of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted final approval on November 28, 2023. An appeal filed on December 28, 2023 was dismissed on December 11, 2025, clearing the settlement to move fully into implementation. Under the settlement agreement, payments begin within 60 days after final approval and the resolution of all appeals, and they are now being issued on a rolling basis as claims are approved. The settlement website is the place to check for updates on payment status or any change to the claims deadline.
Up to 33% of the settlement amount, or roughly $25.9 million, may be awarded to class counsel for fees and expenses. Each of the 11 named class representatives may receive up to $2,500 as a service award. Toyota receives a $10 million credit against the total settlement for providing future loaner vehicles and outreach services.
What the Case Was About
The lawsuit centered on airbag control units made by ZF-TRW that contain a chip called the DS84, manufactured by STMicroelectronics. The airbag control unit is the electronic component that reads crash sensors and tells the airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to fire. Plaintiffs and NHTSA’s investigation alleged that in a severe crash, damaged wiring can send electrical surges through the unit and destroy the DS84 chip before it can deploy the airbags, leaving occupants without their primary restraints at the moment of impact. There are no warning signs before a failure.
Toyota’s January 2020 recall did not replace the airbag control unit. Dealers installed a noise filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness to protect the system from those surges. The recall covered the Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Avalon, and Avalon HV, but not the Tacoma, Tundra, or Sequoia, even though those models also contained ZF-TRW units. The class action was designed to cover both groups, which is part of why unrecalled-vehicle owners can still claim the residual payment and the extended warranty benefits described above.
Toyota has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and said it agreed to the settlement to avoid prolonged litigation.