NGK and DENSO Auto Parts Antitrust Class Action

Updated: August 20, 2023

Claim Form Deadline: Passed

Estimated Payout: Varies

Proof required: Yes

Method of payment: Cash

What's This Settlement About?

A $1,400,000 Class Action Settlement has been reached NGK and DENSO, in two separate class action lawsuits - "Oxygen Sensors" and "Spark Plugs" class actions. In the class action lawsuit, consumers allege that companies violated federal antitrust law by engaging in separate conspiracies to suppress and eliminate competition for Oxygen Sensors and Spark Plugs. The class action alleges that by agreeing to raise, fix, maintain, and/or stabilize prices, rig bids, and allocate markets and customers for Oxygen Sensors and Spark Plugs sold in the United States, NGK and DENSO resulted in artificially higher prices for these mentioned auto parts.

Under the terms of the proposed settlements, NGK will pay $600,000 and DENSO will pay $100,000 to the Oxygen Sensors portion of the Settlement Fund, and NGK will pay $600,000 and DENSO will pay $100,000 to the Spark Plugs portion of the Settlement Fund. The Court has already preliminarily approved each of these settlements.

These settlements are part of a larger settlement with the DENSO Defendants the larger, "global" settlement that resolved class action lawsuits filed on behalf of purchasers of various motor vehicle parts manufactured and sold by the DENSO Defendants in seventeen cases. These auto parts include Radiators, Starters, Air Conditioning Systems, among other parts. Under the terms of the Global Settlement, DENSO agreed to pay $2,100,000 and provide substantial cooperation to assist consumers in the prosecution of their claims against the remaining non-settling defendants, should the need for such cooperation arise. Judges and courts have already granted final class action settlement approval in 15 of the 17 cases that make up the global settlement.

How Do I Qualify?

If you purchased Oxygen Sensors and Spark Plugs in the United States directly from either NGK and DENSO from January 1, 2000 through February 4, 2019 you may be a member of the Settlement Classes and eligible for monetary payment.

How Do I File a Claim?

You may participate in any or all four proposed Settlement Classes:

• NGK Spark Plugs Settlement Class
• DENSO Spark Plugs Settlement Class
• NGK Oxygen Sensors Settlement Class
• DENSO Oxygen Sensors Settlement Class
You can be eligible for reimbursement from all of the above class actions, or from any combination of separate ones.

To receive a cash payment you must have filed a claim form(s) no later than September 30, 2022.

The court held a hearing on final approval of these proposed settlements and related matters on September 15, 2022.