A new lawsuit claims Toyota and Subaru’s electric vehicles have serious battery problems. The case focuses on 2023 to 2025 model year Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra SUVs, which allegedly suffer from repeated 12-volt battery failures.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (Sacramento Division) on April 10, 2025, with case number 2:25-at-00462. The main plaintiff, John Wade, owns a 2023 Toyota bZ4X and has experienced multiple battery issues.
According to the class-action lawsuit, both Toyota and Subaru knew about these battery problems before selling the vehicles. The affected models include those from the 2023-2025 model years.
Repeated Battery Failures
The lawsuit centers on Mr. Wade’s experience. His 12-volt battery has failed three times after driving only about 5,000 miles. He’s had to replace the battery twice since March 2023. The first failure happened just weeks after he bought the car. The second occurred around 2,000 miles, and the third around 5,000 miles.
The lawsuit states that a cluster of warning indicators appeared on the dashboard just before the vehicle lost all power, leaving the driver stranded and needing roadside help to get going again. Fewer than 2,000 miles after that, the 12-volt battery died once more—this time, it wouldn’t even respond to a jumpstart.
Mr. Wade even purchased a $4,800 Level-2 EV charger, hoping it might fix the issues. Despite this investment, the battery problems continued.
Owner Toyota bz4x 12v Battery Problems Complaints
On Car IQ Report, complaints over the alleged defective 12-volt battery have been collecting. One owner wrote: “2024 BZ4x, 590 miles on ODO. Purchased the car on Sunday, 03/23/2025. Monday Morning – Turning on the Car (In my garage). I had it in “ready” while I tried to connect my Toyota app to the car, While talking to Toyota engagement for help.. (Never was able to change the primary driver on it.) The accessory lights flickered and a bell went on and off. Then the car went totally black.
Toyota called a tow truck driver. He jumped the 12 volt. It gave it enough juice so I put in reverse and there was a Loud Grinding noise. “Brake System Malfunction- Take to Dealer.” Tow truck loaded it up, grinding and all, took it to Toyota. There, found out the 12 volt battery died.
No reported grinding when off loading or at the dealer. Toyota Dealer replaced the 12 volt battery on Monday 03/24/2025. Picked it up, drove it around about 40 miles and parked it in my garage. Parked with >80% battery on Lith battery Monday night 21:00. Sat in the Garage on Tuesday. Wednesday Morning 08:00am, 12 Volt COMPLETLY DEAD. It’s back at the dealership.
MY safety concern – Does this mean the Brake system will “malfunction” if the 12 volt battery isn’t holding enough charge to operate the BRAKE SYSTEM?! Not sure if it means the parking brake or the actual brakes.”
The lawsuit doesn’t explain exactly what causes the batteries to fail. It simply states that the batteries die too quickly and need frequent replacement.
Not Just Toyota and Subaru
Other electric vehicles have had similar problems. In 2021, Ford issued a service notice about a software problem that caused the Mustang Mach-E’s 12-volt battery to drain while the main battery was charging.
Earlier this year, a Mach-E owner claimed his 2021 model’s 12-volt battery lost power and trapped his child in the vehicle when the doors wouldn’t open.
In 2023, Hyundai found that its Ioniq 5 had unexpected 12-volt battery failures. The company determined that third-party apps connecting to the car via Bluetooth were draining the battery.
Legal Action Moving Forward
This case highlights the ongoing challenges automakers face as they transition to electric vehicles. While the main propulsion batteries get most of the attention, the humble 12-volt batteries that power accessories and systems are proving to be a weak point in some designs.
For owners of these vehicles, the repeated battery failures mean inconvenience, unexpected costs, and potentially being stranded when their cars won’t start.
As the lawsuit proceeds, we’ll learn more about what might be causing these problems and what solutions might be available.
The case is being led by several prominent consumer protection law firms, including Keller Rohrback L.L.P., Shub Johns & Holbrook LLP, and Wittels McInturff Palikovic, signaling that the claims are being taken seriously and could lead to broader accountability.
Managing Editor
Christopher is an automotive technical writer. When he’s not at the local autocross event, he can often be found working on one of his cars. Specializes in automotive class action law, industry trends, and automotive maintenance. Email me direct, or learn more about us
PW Henderson
June 15, 2025 at 4:07 pmWe had the same problem though in our case, the dealer and Subaru of America refused to replace the battery. Even as I showed them live battery test failures, voltage and load testing.