- Ford recalled Bronco Sport and Maverick models in January due to defective 12-volt batteries.
- The plaintiff claims he replaced his 12V battery after 34,000 miles and repeated failures.
- The faulty battery could cause vehicles to stall or completely lose power while driving.
Ford is facing a class action lawsuit in the United States over claims that certain Bronco Sport and Maverick models have faulty 12-volt batteries that could cause the vehicles to lose power or stall. The lawsuit, filed in Pennsylvania, also names Camel Group Battery, the manufacturer of the batteries in question.
According to the suit, 2021–2023 Bronco Sport and 2022–2023 Maverick models are equipped with a 12-volt battery featuring an internal weld and cast-on strap that are prone to failure. Ford has been aware of the issue and, in late January, issued a recall for over 272,000 affected vehicles due to these potentially troublesome Camel batteries.
Read: Ford Recalling 273,000 Bronco Sports And Mavericks Over Battery Fault
Ford’s solution is to replace Camel batteries with a new AGM 12V battery. However, the class action says this is “an ineffective waste of time,” and that “there is no true fix for the defect.” The lawsuit adds that “unless Defendets are to issue a more comprehensive recall to truly fix the root cause of the Defect, it is foreseeable, and should be expected, that the Class Vehicles’ battery systems will fail once again.”
Edward Benson filed the lawsuit on behalf of himself and other Bronco Sport and Maverick owners. Benson purchased his Bronco Sport last year from a dealer in Janesville, Wisconsin, and claims the SUV’s battery has failed multiple times and had to be replaced after 34,000 miles. He says he had to carry a battery booster around with him and disabled the start/stop feature, fearing he may be unable to restart the engine if it shuts off.
In the class action, Benson’s lawyers note he has been “burdened with a vehicle that has been devalued,” by the recall, and that he, like all other class members, “must spend time and money” to transport their vehicles to a certified Ford mechanic to be repaired. It claims Ford is guilty of unjust enrichment, and negligence, is in violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and has breached express and implied warranties.
Benson is seeking a jury trial and wants damages for himself and other affected owners.
