Amended Complaint Filed in HVAC Price-Fixing Lawsuit

A lawsuit accusing major HVAC manufacturers of price-fixing has grown bigger. Plaintiffs — 39 homeowners and other buyers who say they paid inflated prices for heating and cooling equipment since January 2020 — filed an updated, 191-page complaint against Bosch, Trane, Carrier, Daikin, Lennox, Rheem, and AAON. The core claim is unchanged: that these companies violated federal antitrust law by coordinating price increases instead of competing independently. The manufacturers deny the allegations.

The new filing adds detail rather than new claims. Plaintiffs now argue the alleged price coordination is ongoing, not just something that happened in 2020. They also point to subscription data services, like Pricefx and Convergence Data, that they say gave manufacturers detailed pricing information that could have made coordination easier. Another new section argues the companies had shared reasons to raise prices together, pointing to the pandemic, the switch to refrigerants with lower global warming potential, and updated efficiency rules as pressures that pushed manufacturers toward higher prices on new equipment. The complaint also highlights public statements on earnings calls and at industry events as possible signs of price signaling among competitors.

The case is still in its early stages, and no court has ruled on whether any of this happened. Manufacturers are expected to seek dismissal, arguing their pricing moves were simply normal, independent business decisions. Plaintiffs are seeking money damages, including three times actual damages as allowed under antitrust law, plus legal costs. For homeowners who bought HVAC equipment in the past six years, this is a case worth watching, though it will likely take time before anything is resolved.