Case Updates
BFA Files Consumer Class Action Against Ford Motor Company For Misrepresenting Fuel Economy Ratings
On Monday, June 10, 2019, Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP filed a class action lawsuit against the Ford Motor Company alleging that Ford overstated fuel economy ratings for certain vehicles model years 2017 to 2019, including the Ford Ranger and F-150 trucks. The complaint alleges that Ford manipulated fuel economy testing to procure higher fuel economy results. Consumers who purchased these vehicles are paying more in fuel costs than the indicated miles per gallon disclosed by Ford at the point of sale.
Plaintiffs have retained experts who have tested a Ford vehicle. The proprietary investigation of counsel and testing by plaintiffs’ experts revealed that Ford deliberately manipulated testing parameters used to derive the "road load" calculation, which is used in fuel economy testing. Road load refers to the sum of forces acting on a vehicle, including aerodynamic drag, friction, and tire-related losses. By misrepresenting the road load in testing, Ford procured inflated fuel economy results. Ford advertised these falsely inflated fuel economy results to induce consumers to purchase its vehicles.
Ford is currently under criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over Ford's emissions and fuel economy certification process. In February 2019, Ford disclosed that it is conducting an internal investigation into its fuel economy and emissions compliance processes, as a result of concerns raised by a group of whistleblowing employees in September 2018.
The lawsuit is filed in the Eastern District of Michigan. It alleges violations of the Magnus-Moss Warranty Act and state consumer protection laws, as well as common law fraud, contract, negligent misrepresentation, warranty, and unjust enrichment claims. The suit seeks financial as well as equitable relief and a jury trial.
If you are a registered owner of a Ford Ranger or F-150, model years 2017 to 2019, and have concerns about the fuel economy rating of your vehicle, we welcome the chance to talk to you about your legal rights. The information you provide will help us hold Ford accountable.
To contact BFA regarding this matter, please email BFAConsumerCases@bfalaw.com.
Plaintiffs have retained experts who have tested a Ford vehicle. The proprietary investigation of counsel and testing by plaintiffs’ experts revealed that Ford deliberately manipulated testing parameters used to derive the "road load" calculation, which is used in fuel economy testing. Road load refers to the sum of forces acting on a vehicle, including aerodynamic drag, friction, and tire-related losses. By misrepresenting the road load in testing, Ford procured inflated fuel economy results. Ford advertised these falsely inflated fuel economy results to induce consumers to purchase its vehicles.
Ford is currently under criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over Ford's emissions and fuel economy certification process. In February 2019, Ford disclosed that it is conducting an internal investigation into its fuel economy and emissions compliance processes, as a result of concerns raised by a group of whistleblowing employees in September 2018.
The lawsuit is filed in the Eastern District of Michigan. It alleges violations of the Magnus-Moss Warranty Act and state consumer protection laws, as well as common law fraud, contract, negligent misrepresentation, warranty, and unjust enrichment claims. The suit seeks financial as well as equitable relief and a jury trial.
If you are a registered owner of a Ford Ranger or F-150, model years 2017 to 2019, and have concerns about the fuel economy rating of your vehicle, we welcome the chance to talk to you about your legal rights. The information you provide will help us hold Ford accountable.
To contact BFA regarding this matter, please email BFAConsumerCases@bfalaw.com.