Back in 2022, Ford issued a recall on 125,322 vehicles over an engine defect that could lead to a fire. However, problems have persisted, and now a proposed class action lawsuit claims that the automaker didn’t do enough to protect drivers.
The issue relates to certain 2020-2023 Ford Escape Hybrid, 2022-2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid, and 2021-2023 Lincoln Corsair Hybrid equipped with the 2.5-liter engine. The plaintiffs allege that the engine is prone to seizing, which can cause it to blow, pouring flammable fluids into the engine compartment.
If gas or oil become trapped, or come into contact with hot surfaces, they can lead to a fire, as has happened to at least two of the plaintiffs, per the Detroit Free Press. In a 2022 recall, Ford’s solution was to drill holes into certain underhood components, to prevent fluids from pooling near the engine.
Read: Ford Recalls More Than 125,000 Hybrids Over Fire Risk Posed By Engine Failure
However, the lawsuit brought against Ford alleges that this was an insufficient fix, and cites the automaker’s updated recall, as well as a letter sent to owners, as evidence of how it “botched” the recall. According to a Ford spokesperson, the automaker is earnestly attempting to resolve the issue, and is working to address the situation as it evolves.
“We expected the initial repair to be effective, but continued to monitor the performance of the vehicles and reacted responsibly as facts developed,” the spokesperson said. “We’ve now learned that some customers continued to drive on the alternative hybrid electric system even after an engine block breach, and so we are notifying customers to park the vehicle if what’s known as a ‘block breach’ occurs.”
However, the suit is being brought by a number of owners who struggled to have the recall fix completed, and some of whom narrowly escaped injury when their vehicles caught fire. They are being represented by Hagens Berman, which has a history of winning cases against manufacturers like Volkswagen and Hyundai.
It also previously brought a similar lawsuit against Ford for this issue in 2022. However, a judge dismissed the suit because of Ford’s initial recall. The firm claims that the Ford’s followups suggest that the automaker’s attempts to remedy the situation did not work, which warrants this new suit. It alleges that the company put money ahead of its customers.
“Rather than do the right thing and globally offer every consumer a buy back of their Stall/Fire Risk Vehicle at a fair price—the Blue Book value on the day before the recall was announced—or at least offer to provide a comparable loaner, Ford has done nothing of the sort,” the lawsuit said.
