Back in April 2022, The Blue Oval issued a recall for select 2020-2023 Ford Explorer models due to an issue with the rear axle mounting bolt after it discovered that this part could fracture under hard acceleration. The automaker instructed dealers to replace these defective rear axle mounting bolts – and later – subframe bushings with new parts, but some customers felt like that fix was inadequate, which has since prompted not just one or two, but three different lawsuits, as well as an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that was closed recently after the agency determined that Ford’s actions aimed at correcting this matter were adequate. However, a new lawsuit filed over this same issue claims that this is not the case, according to Car Complaints.
This new lawsuit – Collier, et al., v. Ford Motor Company – was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Tacoma) by 11 plaintiffs, who are represented by Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, Berger Montague PC, and Corpus Law Patel, LLC. It claims that Ford’s proposed fix is, in fact, inadequate, noting that two rear axle bolts are needed to effectively rectify the problem.
Two of the plaintiffs named in this case actually had the rear axle mounting bolt replaced in their 2021 Ford Explorer when it was fractured back in 2022, though just a few months later, the same bolt fractured again, this time, causing damage to the subframe as well. Other plaintiffs also experienced the same issue, but as Ford points out, all of these repairs were completed free of charge at dealerships. It’s also worth noting that while Ford contends that only higher performance models like the ST were originally affected by this defect, none of the plaintiffs owned that particular variant. Regardless, The Blue Oval is seeking to have this new lawsuit dismissed for a number of reasons.
“Despite the recalls and the absence of any allegations plaintiffs’ vehicles currently have a fractured bolt or that they have paid anything out-of-pocket to replace a fractured bolt, plaintiffs are pursuing this class action claiming that a one-bolt design is defective because it can lead to a fractured bolt, that Ford knew this before they bought their vehicles, and that this caused them to pay more for their vehicles than they were actually worth,” the automaker told the judge.
We’ll have more on this and all Ford-related lawsuits soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Explorer news, the latest Ford lawsuit news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comment
so we have above probems in same car we have battery drain probem,
we have battery could blow up, we have motor and or trasmision can fail,
we we have cats that can be probem in fack there 30 recalls and some wont show up per vin they show up when compant is filed, is this way do busness u have fix for motor stop useing the oil your useing start useing full synthic and offer full flushs for first 3 oil changes, motor probem fix, line going to pvc should go to box to trap oil , but this not probem for carbon it turbo charger they install not for perforace but get better gas per mile probem is it takes oil right back to sump this oil should be cooled and filter twice, and then with a pump for each ajust flow rate to how hot they get, battery probem when battery is low , car should not shut off should go to lock down where motor keeps running untill battery fully charge and turn off smart chargeing system all togather, or put battery in it twice as big , these cars was made lets say this again these cars being made to break after warrenty ends there is the law sute, u role all these probems in one cause would force ford rethink and to fix all cars, wich meens removeing turbo chargers adding v8 with the newer trasmission, cross member is a joke, it ment to bend camras wont work right and list gose on and on, and dealer ships clames they dont know nothing about more likely they not alow speak about it, eather way we need go back to motors that dont fail, we have full line motors wont fail, so why wont we use them,