Lawsuit Alert: Two Ford SUVs Could Burst Into Flames
Goddess, when will Ford catch a break? The Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Escape are getting caught up in a new lawsuit while F-150 Lightning and Bronco production shut down due to production issues. This Ford Escape and Bronco Sport problem is serious, though.
The Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Escape are being sued
Be sure to check on your 2021 – 2023 Ford Bronco Sport 2020 – 2022 Ford Escape models because they could have a fire risk that owners are suing over! The issue is related to SUVs equipped with the turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-three engine.
Ford discovered a fuel injector may crack or allow fuel to leak inside the engine compartment and start a fire. As a result, Ford issued a recall to correct this problem.
So, things should have been easily fixed. The solution involved updating the engine control software to include fuel injection leak detection and installing a drain tube. However, according to Ford Authority, people aren’t happy about this.
What does the Escape and Bronco Sport lawsuit cover?
The lawsuit involving the Ford Escape and Ford Bronco Sport was recently filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleging that Ford Motor Company violated consumer protection laws.
Reportedly, Ford was selling vehicles with faulty fuel injectors, leading to spontaneous fires. This could increase the risk of accidents and injuries. Also, Ford failed to implement an appropriate solution.
Roughly 54 fires have occurred in Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Escape models, and 17 of them are related to cracked injectors.
Plaintiffs allege that Ford knew about or should have known about this defect before the vehicles went to market and took deliberate steps to conceal it. The 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator had a similar fire-related problem with similar results.
While Ford did issue a recall with a potential fix, the lawsuit claims Ford didn’t provide an effective solution. As a result, they are left with SUVs with serious environmental and safety hazards.
Steve Berman, the managing partner at Hagens Berman, shared that safety should be the top priority. Ford should have made a full disclosure about the fire risk before selling the SUVs or issued a stop-sale.
Adding a drain pipe to simply divert the fuel isn’t a solid fix for a faulty fuel injector. Ford had a responsibility to be transparent with customers immediately after becoming aware of the fires. Instead, it hid the truth from customers and flouted the terms of its warranty.
UPDATE: Owners of these vehicles who filed complaints received compensation without this case going to trial.
Are the Bronco Sport and Escape safe?
Yes, the Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Escape have excellent safety ratings. Both SUVs earned five out of five stars from the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Bronco Sport is a Top Safety Pick+, too.
The SUVs received incredibly high scores in various specific safety tests and crash simulations. Also, Ford’s software update and drainage tube are only temporary fixes.
Owners at risk should have already been notified about when their replacement parts will come in. So, that could make this lawsuit even more interesting! We’re going to keep track of this fiery lawsuit to see how things play out. Stay tuned for the latest updates.
