Toyota Prius $20 Million, 20-Year Warranty Deal Gets Final Nod

Toyota Motor Corp. and Prius owners who alleged a vehicle defect could cause unexpected stalling or deceleration secured a judge’s final approval for a class settlement providing $20 million and a warranty extension to 20 years.

Drivers alleged the inverters, the “electronic brain” of Toyota hybrid vehicles, fail because of heat and electrical stress. The inverter—a critical component of a hybrid vehicle—converts electricity derived from a direct current source to alternating current, powering the car’s electrical systems, they said.

The Feb. 3 green light from Judge Josephine L. Staton of the US District Court for the Central District of California ...