Last September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the Ford EcoSport crossover after receiving 95 customer complaints regarding engine failure caused by a loss of oil pressure. At the time, it was suspected that faulty oil pumps were to blame, and sure enough, The Blue Oval issued a recall for that very same problem back in January of this year, this time, centered around EcoSport and Focus models equipped with faulty oil pumps on their Ford EcoBoost powerplants. However, that hasn’t put a stop to a specific legal action levied against the automaker.
A class action lawsuit – Bolton, et al., v. Ford Motor Company – was filed just weeks later, as Ford Authority previously reported, but FoMoCo asked the court to dismiss the Ford EcoBoost lawsuit, noting that the 13 plaintiffs involved in the case had not taken their vehicles in to have recall-related repairs performed. The automaker also said that the plaintiffs have failed to describe the specific problem they’re experiencing with their oil pumps in select 2016-2017 Fiesta, 2018-2021 EcoSport, and 2016-2018 Focus models.
Now, according to Car Complaints, this Ford EcoBoost lawsuit will continue after Judge Gregory B. Williams was unconvinced by Ford’s arguments. “When accepted as true, these allegations establish that the Class Members, including those members who bought or leased a Ford Fiesta or Ford Focus, purchased the same product, i.e., the 1.0L EcoBoost Engine,” Williams said. However, the judge also dismissed the plaintiffs’ express warranty, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, equitable relief, and other claims that fall under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
Ford’s recall over this matter pertains to 139,730 Focus and EcoSport models powered by the turbocharged 1.0L I-3 EcoBoost engine, in which the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure, which can cause engine damage and even total failure. The defective parts are manufactured by Dayco Europe SRL in Italy. Ford’s proposed fix includes installing a revised oil pump tensioner assembly with a shorter tensioner arm that prevents contact with the balance shaft, as well as updated material properties that reportedly help prevent the drive belt material from degrading or losing teeth.
We’ll have more on this lawsuit soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford EcoSport news, Ford Focus news, Ford Fiesta news, Ford lawsuit news, and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
I haven’t heard a peep in at least 1 1/2 years about all the Class Actions regarding the 1.5L and 2.0L turbo-4s (coolant intrusion). Wonder what’s up with those?
What a junk engine. They need basically an overhaul at 45,000 miles.
The 1200 CC Chevy Trax engines are similar, and I question the initial recommended oil chg at 7500 miles there, too
I don’t understand why a class action lawsuit is permitted when a recall fixes the problem. This is another case of lawyers trying to line their pockets.
How can you change faulty parts, when the said parts brake and destroy the engine.
Having a wet, toothed-belt to drive the oil pump *inside* the crankcase is the stupidest design decision *ever*. WTF were they smoking when they designed it this way? “Value Engineering” at its worst.
The problem is not fixed, my car has been at the dealership for over 3 weeks I just got a rental car yesterday. They said they do not have the parts to fix it . This is my 3rd time taking it to the dealership for the same problem. I am paying for a car that I can not drive. The dealership is giving me the run around.
I have ford escape with a cracked engine block. Try to get a new engine. But they are only some people are getting them