Court Upholds Class Action Claims Against Ford Motor Company Involving Ecoboost Engine Defect

On July 8, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware largely denied Ford Motor Company’s motion to dismiss a Class Action Complaint alleging that Ford knowingly sold Ecosport, Fiesta, and Focus model vehicles with defective 1.0 liter Ecoboost engines.  The complaint alleges that the engines suffer from oil pump failures, which cause the engine to seize, often just shortly after the powertrain warranty has expired.  Ford issued a recall for the engines, but the Court held that plaintiffs stated claims for damages “well beyond the cost of repairing or replacing the defective 1.0 EcoBoost engines,” including “diminution in value of their vehicles, towing costs, rental car costs, and other out-of-pocket expenses.”

Although the Court dismissed some claims, it found that Plaintiffs stated numerous viable claims under state consumer protection statutes and common law omission claims.

Timothy Mathews of Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson Smith LLP is court-appointed interim lead counsel, along with co-counsel.

A copy of judge’s opinion denying in-part Ford’s Motion to Dismiss is available here: Motion to Dismiss Opinion.