Did you ever buy Sanyo brand solar panels or move into a property that already had them installed? Well, you might want to check them for a defect known as “delamination,” which might qualify you for a settlement payout or full replacement of the panels.
Sanyo has been kicking around the electronics market for a long time, making everything from transistor radios to TVs to solar panels for decades. Founded in Japan in the 1940s, it was acquired by Panasonic in 2009 and formally dissolved into that consumer electronics giant by 2011.
However, the brand name still matters for various reasons, one of them being a settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit accusing Sanyo and Panasonic of failing to cover a known solar panel defect under its 20-year warranty. While neither Sanyo nor its parent company acknowledged any wrongdoing, the settlement was agreed upon and received final approval in court all the way back in the summer of 2021.
So why am I telling you this in 2025? Because the deadline to file a claim and get in on this settlement is still years away. If you’ve had issues with Sanyo solar panels and want to see if you’re eligible, keep reading, and for more settlement news, check out if you’re eligible for a piece of Cash App’s spam texts settlement.
Why were Panasonic and Sanyo sued?
In the class action suit, Ziccarello v. Sanyo Energy, plaintiffs alleged that Sanyo and Panasonic did not honor delamination issues under their panels’ 20-year warranty, despite being aware of the issues. This forced customers experiencing the issue to pay out of pocket for repairs or replacements.
Delamination occurs when the layers of a solar panel become detached from each other, and it typically occurs between the glass component of the panel, the encapsulant and the backsheet. When this happens, air and moisture can creep in, speeding up corrosion of the panel and shortening its lifespan. As the plaintiffs in the Sanyo case argued, it can also decrease the energy-capture rate of the panels and increase the risk of house fires.
Who qualifies for the Sanyo settlement?
In order to be eligible for this settlement class, you’ll need to have either purchased the right model of Sanyo solar panel in the past or purchased a property that already included them. The panels covered by the settlement include the ones with model numbers HIP-xxxBA2, BA3 and BA5.
Joining this settlement will require providing proof of ownership, which you can do one of two ways: Show documented proof of when you bought the Sanyo panels, the original purchase price and a copy of the installation contract which should include a model number. Or, you must provide a photo of the affected panel or panels where they’ve been installed and a photo of the back label from at least one panel, which should include the manufacturer name, model number, date of manufacture and the serial number.
If you can’t prove your date of purchase, the settlement administrators will presume a date of three months after the date of manufacture on the back label.
How long do I have to join the Sanyo settlement?
The settlement period is still pretty wide open: You have until either Dec. 31, 2029, or 20 years after the original purchase date of the Sanyo solar panels, whichever one is earlier.
To file a claim, you’ll have to print out this official form and mail it to the included address:
Ziccarello v Sanyo Energy (U.S.A.) Corp.
Claims Class Litigation Administration Support Services
P.O. Box 1272
Lancaster, California 93584
How much can I get from the Sanyo settlement?
Via this settlement, you can either claim a replacement for your delaminated solar panels or a cash payout, but there are catches to both options.
The terms of the settlement don’t guarantee that you’ll receive exactly the same solar panel, stating that it can vary in size, color, shape, model, manufacturer or power level. Whatever panel you end up with, it will, however, produce the level of power guaranteed under the 20-year Sanyo power warranty.
Alternatively, you could choose the cash payout, which will be based on the original purchase price of your panels after depreciation is factored in. This will vary, but to give one example, a panel purchased for $700 a decade ago will net you a $350 payout.
For more, see if you qualify for the AT&T data breach settlement.
