A class action lawsuit claims Generac sold standby generators with a hidden defect that causes them to fail during power outages, despite being marketed as reliable backup power.
Plaintiffs James W. Dawson Jr. and Edmond C. Hill Jr. filed the lawsuit on Oct. 18 in Florida federal court, accusing Generac of violating consumer protection laws. The suit involves 22kW and 24kW models sold from 2021 to 2024.
The issue reportedly lies in the slip rings and carbon brushes, which wear out quickly and cause the generators to stop working during outages. This can be dangerous for those relying on power for medical equipment.
The plaintiffs say Generac knew about the defect but only offered temporary fixes instead of a permanent solution and didn’t recall the products.
Dawson, who bought a 24kW model in March 2022, said his generator failed after running for just 30 minutes during Hurricane Ian, leaving him without power for nearly a week. He and others have reported repeated repair attempts without a lasting fix.
The plaintiffs aim to represent all U.S. buyers of these faulty generators and are seeking damages and a jury trial. This lawsuit follows a previous case against Generac over defective generators that posed fire hazards.