Class Action Suit Filed Against Ford in Michigan Federal Court

June 14, 2022

The lawsuit is in regards to a recent recall of 39,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles that have the potential to catch fire. 

June 14, 2022—A class action lawsuit has been filed against Ford Motor Co. regarding recent  under-the-hood fires that have resulted in a recall. 

According to Top Class Actions, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Ford Motor Co. by plaintiffs Jessica Stahlman, Jeremy Sessler and Ronald Smith.

The complaint, which was brought into Michigan federal court, alleges a breach of warranty and state consumer laws. Plaintiffs alleged that Ford should have been aware of this fire risk prior to the launch of the vehicles, but they did nothing to warn drivers until recently. 

The recall was put into place in May of 2022 and affects around 39,000 of 2021 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigator SUVs that were built over a fourth-month period in late 2020 to early 2021.

“And to this day, Ford has yet to provide a remedy for the defect or even suggest when it might be able to offer a remedy,” the plaintiffs said in their complaint. 

In their complaint, the plaintiffs stated that this issue increases a driver's risk of accident, injury, death or property damage if their vehicle catches fire while driving or parked. Plaintiffs state that this risk is unreasonable. 

There have been 16 recorded fires that have occurred. Ford is currently recommending that drivers park potentially affected vehicles away from homes and property. Those involved in the recall are to be contacted by Ford. 

“Ford offers no actual remedy for the Spontaneous Fire Defect and offers no reimbursement to Fire Defect Vehicle owners and lessees for out-of- pocket expenses, loss of use, and loss of value,” the plaintiffs said in their complaint. 

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Ratchet+Wrench Staff Reporters

The Ratchet+Wrench staff reporters have a combined two-plus decades of journalism and mechanical repair experience.

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