Ford EcoBoost Class Action Lawsuit Dismissed for Car Owners
Ford owners who experienced issues with Ford EcoBoost engines recently had their class-action lawsuit dismissed after alleging defective oil pumps led to failures in the 1-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engines. The affected Ford models included the 2016-2017 Ford Fiesta, the 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport, and the 2016-2018 Ford Focus.
Owners who filed the lawsuit claimed that the alleged oil pump problems caused failures in oil circulation, leading to engine damage. These repairs were said to potentially cost more than replacing the entire engine itself.
Ford has issued technical service bulletins and special service messages (SSMs) to dealers regarding the 1-liter engines, acknowledging the issues faced by EcoBoost engine owners. Specific actions were recommended, such as replacing engine assemblies for failed engine oil pump tensioners.
In December 2023, Ford issued a recall for certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles due to concerns over drive belt tensioners or oil pump drive belts failing. This issue could result in a loss of engine oil pressure, posing a risk to the vehicles.
While Ford attempted to have the class-action lawsuit dismissed by referencing the EcoBoost engine recall, the judge allowed the lawsuit to proceed. Even though free recall repairs were available, the plaintiffs still argued that their vehicles were devalued due to the oil pump issues.
Despite some claims being dismissed, the class-action lawsuit is allowed to continue based on the remaining claims. It is interesting to note that some of the plaintiffs voluntarily withdrew from the lawsuit.
This legal dispute was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware under the case name Bolton, et al., v. Ford Motor Company. The plaintiffs were represented by Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP, Berger Montague PC, and Capstone Law APC.
