The suit alleges the lining of the F-Series fuel tank can flake off and cause engine stalling.
A lawsuit filed this week in federal court in New Jersey claims Ford Motor Co. hid problems with the fuel tanks in its big F-Series pickups that reportedly can lead to a loss of power or stalling.
The complaint, Coba et al v Ford Motor Co., seeks to be certified as a class action. The automaker had no immediate comment and it is not clear if federal regulators are now looking into the issue as it could be considered a potential safety hazard.
The problem could be a significant one for Ford if the courts agree with the complaint. The F-Series is not only the automaker’s best-selling product but has been the most popular product in the U.S. market for the last 30 consecutive years. (F-Series Tops the Sales Charts. Click Here for more.)
According to the papers filed with the U.S. District Court, Ford was aware that the linings of the F-Series pickups and E-Series vans built between 1999 and 2008 could “separate and flake-off,” which could clog the fuel lines, leading to a loss of power or even stalling.
The plaintiffs claims that Ford was not only aware of the defect but that the maker issued a “secret” technical bulletin to dealers advising them of the problem. Customers were not advised, however, nor did the maker offer free repairs, as it would have been required to in the event of a recall.
The lawsuit would lump all similar complaints into a single class action alleging fraud and breach of warranty – and seeking such remedies as reimbursement for repairs, punitive and triple damages.
The name of the complaint refers to Galo Coba and the company he owns, Coba Landscaping and Construction, in Chester, Pennsylvania.
A Ford spokesman said the maker is waiting to see the complaint before commenting.
A call to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was not returned. It is unclear if the federal agency has any record of complaints connected with the reported problems. But in recent years, problems that could lead to unexpected vehicle stalling have often been treated as safety defects requiring a recall. In turn, failure to notify NHTSA of safety-related problems within a specified timeframe can result in additional stiff penalties – as have been levied against Toyota and BMW, among other makers, in recent years.
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