Early last year, Ford issued a recall for select 2020 Ford Super Duty pickups equipped with the Ford 6.7L V8 Power Stroke diesel due to overstated payload capacity values on the tire and loading information label, overstated accessory reserve capacity values on the safety certification label, and overstated weight values on the truck camper loading documentation. A few months later, a class-action lawsuit was filed over those incorrect labels, and now, a new lawsuit alleges that the Ford E-Series is affected by a similar type of issue, according to Car Complaints.
The new lawsuit – Kenneth L. Boyle v. Ford Motor Company – pertains to Ford E-Series cutaway models produced from 2018 and up, and alleges that the advertised gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR) for these vehicles are incorrect because the vehicles have suspensions that cannot be adjusted. These cutaway models are converted into a wide variety of vehicles following their purchase, including ambulances and recreational vehicles, but once this process is complete, the vehicle doesn’t drive straight, nor are its stated GVWRs correct, according to the lawsuit.
“All persons who purchased or leased in the State of Florida a new completed vehicle utilizing a Ford E-Series Cutaway between 2018 and the date of class certification that required adjustment and/or modification to correct alignment within the first 12,000 miles after purchase,” the lawsuit reads. “Essentially, the vehicle cannot be aligned after it has been built out into its final use (e.g., recreational vehicle, box truck, ambulance, etc.) a step that is critical to the construction and safe use of the completed vehicle.”
Florida resident Kenneth L. Boyle purchased a 2021 Ford E-450 cutaway back in 2020 and upfitted it as a recreational vehicle, but noticed that following that conversion, it pulled to the left while driving down the road, whether laden or unladen. He had a Ford dealer perform an alignment on two different occasions, but that didn’t solve the issue. Boyle eventually managed to stop the vehicle from pulling while driving it, but only after purchasing aftermarket parts.
We’ll have more on this and all of Ford’s current lawsuits soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford E-Series news, Ford lawsuit news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
So this guy modified the truck and now it’s Ford’s fault that it doesn’t drive straight? Do you know many thousands of those cutaways are out there? If the aftermarket body was not installed properly that could cause the problem.
The truck suspension was modified to prevent it from pulling. The real problem is most built the chassis to it maximum weight ratings. Ford might have overstayed the maximum weights and that is due to marketing always pushing that more is better. Anyone who works with specifications, you built it to 80% of the rating. This also happens with pickup trucks towing especially with campers. If The truck is rated at 8000 lbs, that is what most will purchased instead of a 6000 lb camper. Sure the truck may be ok but it greatly shortens it life.
And the folks who buy them think specs are written by lawyers ‘to cover their a$$”, and the capacity is really about 20% more than advertised, just visit any camper forum to read about it…