Dearborn, MI – July 24, 2022 – Ford (NYSE:F), which owns the Lincoln brand, is being sued over allegations that it should have known that the vehicles it recently recalled were defective and that it waited too long to launch the said recall.
The allegations are based on reports of fire and consequent damage which plaintiffs experienced even when the vehicle was turned off.
The lawsuit is coming on the back of a recall for the following vehicles:
- 2021 Ford Expedition
- 2021 Lincoln Navigator
The events that led to this Ford lawsuit
Vehicles listed above can catch fire while driving or when parked and turned off. In total, 21 SUVs have burst into flames so far, with one of the events leading to an injury.
Ford first recalled 39,000 of these models in May 2022. The manufacturer, however, did not reveal the source of the problem or the fix for it. Instead, it advised drivers to “park away from structures.”
Earlier this month, the recall was expanded to 66,221 cars, according to a press release. The cause of the issue is believed to be defective “printed circuit boards” which are “uniquely susceptible” to short-circuiting and fires. The repair for some of the vehicles will involve replacing the vehicles’ electronic circuit control center and only one-third of the recalled vehicles can be repaired now.
The allegations
A total of 22 plaintiffs sued Ford on June 7 in the Michigan Eastern District Court and amended the complaint earlier this month on the back of the recall expansion. They are claiming that Ford’s approach to the recall and the fire issue are inadequate in several ways.
First, Ford “either knew or should have known” of the fire defect before it launched the vehicles but “did nothing” to warn consumers of it. Instead, it waited “months” to launch the recall.
In addition, while the fix for the majority of the cars is not available, the manufacturer made no attempts to provide loaner vehicles or offer reimbursements to the owners who still have to make payments on the purchase. These are now considered unusable by some owners because of the risk of fire.
Lastly, there is a worry that not all affected vehicles are included in the current recall. This claim is backed up by the case of one of the plaintiffs whose 2021 Ford Expedition XLT burst into flames in front of his home last month. This particular vehicle, however, is not a part of the recalled population, because it was built in December 2021, while the recall only includes cars built between July 27, 2020 and August 31, 2021.
The plaintiffs are alleging that by engaging in the actions described above, Ford violated multiple state and federal consumer protection laws, including the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
The asks
In this Ford engine fire lawsuit, plaintiffs are looking for “restitution,” including the reimbursement of the purchase price of the vehicles, as well as any damages and other costs associated with the lawsuit.
They are also asking for a jury trial to help decide their case.
Recall risks
Vehicle fires carry several risks, as described in this article about a Hyundai fire-related recall.
Is your vehicle part of a recall?
Over 66,000 Ford and Lincoln SUVs are affected by this Ford recall lawsuit. However, this number might increase in the future. To check on other Ford Expedition recalls or Lincoln Navigator recalls, go to MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
