Over the past several months, a number of Ford models have been impacted by an issue with their 360-degree and rearview camera systems that have led to recalls for select 2020-2023 Ford Explorer, 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator, 2022-2023 Ford Transit, and 2021 Ford Bronco models, which are expected to cost the automaker hundreds of millions to rectify. Since then, a pair of lawsuits have been filed over this issue – in which the rearview image may not display as intended – though the automaker has been fighting to get them consolidated, as well as transferred back to the state of Michigan. Now, those wishes have been granted, according to Car Complaints.
A mere 10 days after the original Ford 360 degree camera lawsuit was filed in Michigan – Dorfman v. Ford – another, Johnson v. Ford, was filed in Illinois over the same exact matter. As such, the automaker accused plaintiffs in the case of “forum shopping,” pointing to the fact that a member of that class-action actually lives in Washington state, too.
Dorfman dismissed the Michigan class action lawsuit and refiled it in Illinois, after which Johnson filed a motion to consolidate the cases in Illinois. However, Ford argued that both lawsuits are essentially the same, and that both should be transferred to Michigan and consolidated into one case. The automaker stated that “after the Michigan case was pending for a few weeks, Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed it and refiled it here. This venue makes no sense: no party resides in Illinois, the complaint asserts no claims under Illinois law, and the complaint does not seek to certify an Illinois class. This ‘evidence of forum-shopping’ supports transferring this case to the district that Plaintiffs originally chose and that has the strongest relationship with the parties, the claims, the witnesses, and the evidence: the Eastern District of Michigan.”
Ultimately, Illinois Judge Edmond E. Chang granted Johnson’s motion to reassign and consolidate both cases, but at the same time, also granted Ford’s motion to transfer both lawsuits to the Eastern District of Michigan.
We’ll have more on this and all pending Ford lawsuits soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford lawsuit news and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Yeah ford has no influence in Michigan
My 2017 Edge camera has never worked good. It usually goes dark or streaky usually if pointed at direct sunlight. I reported it to Ford but, to
no avail. Many people other are having the same problems with differant models.
My new 2024 Ford Explorer ST 360 camera has a -500 credit on the sticker. I don’t want the credit I want the 360 camera. I use it all the time right now on my 2016 Explorer. It’s a great safety feature and has helped me from hitting obstacles with my vehicle. Ford needs to fix this problem.