Toyota Rebuffed by U.S. Supreme Court on Prius Brake Lawsuits

The U.S. Supreme Court turned away a Toyota Motor Corp. appeal that sought to force arbitration of California lawsuits over the brakes in Prius cars.

The justices today left intact a federal appeals court decision that said Toyota couldn’t enforce the arbitration clauses in its dealers’ purchase agreements with customers.

The consumers say the anti-lock brake system in the model- year 2010 Priuses had a defect that made the cars harder to stop, particularly on rough surfaces. The consumers, who don’t allege they were injured, say Toyota failed to resolve the problem in a 2010 recall. They urged the Supreme Court not to hear the appeal.

The case is Toyota Motor v. Choi, 12-1230.