Toyota airbag settlement: who qualifies and how to claim up to $250
The Toyota airbag settlement lets owners of 2011–2019 models claim up to $250 plus recall costs by Dec 11, 2028. See who qualifies and how to file.
The Toyota airbag settlement is open for claims until December 11, 2028. If you owned or leased a covered 2011–2019 Corolla, Avalon, Tacoma, Tundra or Sequoia as of July 31, 2023, you can register for a residual payment of up to $250 with your VIN and a signed statement, no receipts needed. Owners of recalled Corolla and Avalon models can also claim documented recall costs such as rental cars, towing, childcare, repairs and lost wages. The $250 is a cap, not a promise, and no date is set for it.
What the Toyota airbag settlement is about
A group of Toyota owners sued over airbag control units made by the supplier ZF-TRW. The complaint says the part, which controls airbags and other safety features, can be damaged by a surge called electrical overstress, so airbags might not deploy in a crash. Toyota denies the claims, and the judge never decided who was right. The case is In re ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation (No. 2:19-ml-02905), in federal court in Los Angeles before Judge John A. Kronstadt.
Toyota agreed to a settlement worth $78.5 million in cash and credits. The judge approved it on November 28, 2023, after a hearing on November 16, 2023. Two objectors appealed, and the Ninth Circuit dismissed that appeal on December 11, 2025, so the deal is final and claims are being processed now. It covers Toyota only and does not resolve claims against other automakers. For the wider picture on recall-related payouts, see our guide to auto defect settlements, or the Toyota airbag settlement page in our directory.
Which Toyotas and owners qualify
You are in the class if you owned or leased a covered Toyota, now or in the past, as of July 31, 2023. Businesses count too. Buying one after that date does not qualify, and the claim form asks you to confirm the date. Not every vehicle from these model years is covered, because the list is built by VIN, so run your VIN through the lookup tool on the settlement site before you do anything else.
| Model | Years | Recalled for the ZF-TRW part? | Reimbursement of recall costs | Residual payment (up to $250) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corolla | 2011–2019 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Corolla Matrix | 2011–2013 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Avalon | 2012–2018 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Avalon HV | 2013–2018 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tacoma | 2012–2019 | Not so far | Only if a recall is issued before the deadline | Yes |
| Tundra | 2012–2017 | Not so far | Only if a recall is issued before the deadline | Yes |
| Sequoia | 2012–2017 | Not so far | Only if a recall is issued before the deadline | Yes |
How much you could get from the Toyota airbag settlement
There are two cash payments, and they work very differently. Reimbursement repays what you actually spent finishing the recall on a covered Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Avalon or Avalon HV: rental car or transportation, towing to a Toyota dealer, childcare, repair costs for the control unit, and lost wages. Your amount is whatever the court-appointed administrator approves from your records, so there is no fixed figure.
The residual payment is open to everyone in the class who registers, recalled or not. It is capped at $250 per person and paid per head from any money left after all approved reimbursements and costs. The amount is set only after those claims are paid, so $250 is a ceiling and not a promise. The court's 2023 order estimated $32,067,500 would remain for the class after fees, notice and administration costs, but how far that stretches depends on reimbursements and on how many people register.
Recalled vehicles also get an extended warranty on the new parts installed during the recall: 12 years counted from July 31, 2023, applied automatically once the recall is done. If leftover money cannot sensibly be paid out, it goes to charity; see what happens to unclaimed settlement money.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Headline settlement amount | $78,500,000 | Cash and credits |
| Credit for Toyota's future loaner and outreach programs | $10,000,000 | A credit to Toyota, not cash for claimants |
| Outreach program to boost recall completion | $3,500,000 | Toyota pays this separately |
| Cash settlement fund | $65,000,000 | Pays claims, fees, notice and administration |
| Attorneys' fees awarded by the court | $25,000,000 | Plus $472,730.40 in expenses |
| Estimated left for the class | $32,067,500 | The 2023 estimate, before taxes; reimbursements come first, then the residual |
How to file a Toyota airbag settlement claim
Filing directly with the administrator is free, and there is no claim number to hunt for: the form starts from your VIN. File online, which is the fastest route and the only way to pick an electronic payment, or print the PDF form. Submit one claim for each VIN. For what counts as paperwork, see proof of purchase for class action claims.
- Find your 17-digit VIN on the driver's side of the dashboard or on the driver's door post, and take a photo of it.
- Enter the VIN in the VIN lookup tool on the official settlement site to confirm the vehicle is covered.
- Complete the online claim form, or download the paper form and mail it to Toyota Airbag Control Unit Settlement, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration, LLC, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391.
- If you paid recall costs, list the amount for each category and attach receipts, invoices or card statements. For lost wages, a written statement or internal record works. No paperwork? Say so on the form and be ready to give other proof if asked.
- If you are not claiming costs, complete only the residual-payment statement.
- Sign, submit by December 11, 2028 (mail must be postmarked by then) and keep a copy. Mailed claims are paid by printed check; online claimants can choose Venmo, PayPal or bank wire.
Key dates to know
The claim window is unusually long: it runs three years from the day the appeal ended. Some older listings still show December 16, 2026, but the claim form and the settlement site both give December 11, 2028. There is no benefit to waiting, and a claim you file today is one less thing to forget.
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Opt-out and objection deadline | October 20, 2023 | Closed |
| Final approval hearing | November 16, 2023 | Held |
| Final approval order and judgment | November 28, 2023 | Done |
| Appeal dismissed; settlement final | December 11, 2025 | Done |
| Claims deadline (reimbursement and residual) | December 11, 2028 | Open |
| Residual payment | Not announced yet | After eligible reimbursements are paid |
Is the Toyota airbag settlement legit?
Yes. A federal judge approved it, the appeal is over, and the claims administrator is Kroll Settlement Administration, working under court supervision. The only authorized website is airbagcontrolunitsettlement.com, and the helpline is 1-833-747-5737. Filing costs nothing, and nobody should ask for a fee, a percentage or your Social Security number. The printed claim form asks for contact details, your VIN and a signed statement, not bank logins.
Because the claims window runs to 2028, imitators have time to appear. Type the web address yourself, and use the VIN lookup only on the official site. For a longer checklist, read how to spot a settlement scam.
What happens after you file
A court-appointed special administrator reviews each claim against VIN, ownership and recall records. If it cannot confirm from its own data that you owned or leased the vehicle, it can ask for a bill of sale, title or registration showing your name and the VIN. If part of a reimbursement claim lacks support, you get a notice and 45 days to add documents. If you miss that window, the unsupported part is closed, but you stay eligible for the residual payment without refiling. Reimbursements go out on a rolling basis. No date is announced for the residual payment, which comes only after eligible reimbursements are paid. Typical waits are covered in how long settlement checks take.
If you want help tracking this one, Owed can match you to settlements, open the official claim form, remind you before deadlines and follow each claim to payout, while you submit the claim yourself. Try Owed and see the price below. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. Our Toyota airbag settlement page keeps the latest details, and the settlements directory lists more open cases.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Owed is not a law firm or a settlement administrator; the court and the administrator decide who qualifies and what each person gets.
Glossary
- ZF-TRW airbag control unit (ACU)
- The electronic module that decides when airbags and seatbelt pretensioners fire. The lawsuit says it can be damaged by electrical overstress.
- Residual distribution
- A payment of leftover money, split per person among class members who registered. Here it is capped at $250.
- Per capita
- An equal share per person, rather than a share based on how much you spent.
- Effective Date
- The day the settlement became final with no appeal pending. Here it is December 11, 2025, and the claims window runs three years from it.
- VIN
- The 17-digit vehicle identification number. The settlement uses it to check that your vehicle is covered.
- Cy pres
- When leftover money cannot practically be paid to class members, a court sends it to charities that indirectly benefit the class.
FAQ
Yes. A federal judge in California approved it in 2023, the appeal ended in December 2025, and Kroll Settlement Administration runs the official site at airbagcontrolunitsettlement.com. Filing a claim directly with the administrator costs nothing.
If you paid recall costs on a recalled model, you can be reimbursed for the documented amount the administrator approves. Everyone in the class can register for a residual payment of up to $250, but that is a ceiling that depends on how much is left over and how many people register.
December 11, 2028, for both reimbursement claims and the residual payment. File online by then, or mail a paper form postmarked by that date.
Not for the residual payment: you need your VIN and a signed statement, though the administrator can ask for ownership paperwork if it cannot verify you. Reimbursement claims need receipts, invoices or statements, though other proof can be used if you have none.
Covered models are the 2011–2019 Corolla, 2011–2013 Corolla Matrix, 2012–2018 Avalon, 2013–2018 Avalon HV, 2012–2019 Tacoma, 2012–2017 Tundra and 2012–2017 Sequoia that you owned or leased as of July 31, 2023. Use the VIN lookup on the official site to be sure.
Reimbursements are being paid on a rolling basis as claims are approved. No date is announced for the residual payment, which comes only after eligible reimbursements are paid.
- Toyota Airbag Control Unit Settlement — official website
- Official FAQ from the settlement administrator
- Registration/claim form (PDF)
- Final approval order, C.D. Cal., Nov. 28, 2023 (CourtListener)
- CourtListener docket: In re ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation
This article is based on public information as of Oct 15, 2026; features, prices and deadlines change. Owed is not a law firm and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Corrections →
Keep reading
Auto defect settlements: reimbursements, repairs and how to fileAuto defect class action settlement guide: reimbursement categories, documents you need, deadlines and when to opt out — with a Hyundai/Kia theft walkthrough.
Unclaimed settlement money: what happens when people don't fileUnclaimed settlement money: why most class members never file (median claims rate 9%) and where leftover funds go — second distributions, cy pres, the state.
How long does it take to get a class action settlement check?How long does it take to get a class action settlement check? The typical 3–18 month timeline from deadline to payment, what delays it, how to check status.