Not so long ago, the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen found themselves in news headlines for all the wrong reasons. In September 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a notice that the company had violated the Clean Air Act. The EPA had discovered that the company devised a way to program their diesel engines to activate emissions controls only during lab testings as a way to deceive regulation tests. The fallout was substantial to say the least: other countries began to investigate Volkswagen, their stock plummeted, their CEO resigned, and the company was charged in a US federal court.
Allegations Against Ford
Unfortunately, it appears that Volkswagen was not alone in their pursuit of deceiving regulators. In January 2018, a report and subsequent lawsuit alleged that Ford Motor Company had installed software that allowed its F-250 and F-350 trucks to cheat on their performance during federal emissions tests. The allegations from the lawsuit by drivers claim that these pickup trucks are routinely emitting at a rate of five times the standard, with the lawsuit adding in that the trucks should be renamed the “Super Dirty” as opposed to the “Super Duty” moniker.
For their part, Ford Motor Company is pushing back against the scandalous allegations of corrupt emissions devices. Ford released statements affirming their stance that all of their vehicles conform with U.S. EPA regulations, as well as California Air Resources Board emission laws. The company took a firm stance against the lawsuit, staying, “Ford vehicles do not have defeat devices. We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims.”
Legal Repercussions
The legal firm representing Ford owners has also filed lawsuits against GMC and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, as well as car engine manufacturer Cummins, Inc. with similar diesel emissions fraud allegations. Legal experts claim that if the allegations prove to be truthful, it could open up the company to the risk of billions of dollars in liabilities, as well as potential federal investigations into their business practices. All of this could damage the companies reputation as a leading American auto manufacturer, and place the company under further scrutiny as they continue to pivot towards lower emission standards. Overall, the repercussions for such an emissions scandal could be immense for the company, as well as for German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH, also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit that was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Bosch was also a defendant in the Volkswagen lawsuits. In a statement they released, the company declared that allegations against the company “remain the subject of investigations and civil litigation” and that it considers any type of allegations against the corruption of their diesel software to be a very serious matter. The company was required to pay $327.5 million to U.S. owners of Volkswagen AG vehicles due to the installation of illegal software that aided in vehicles cheating emissions regulatory tests. Bosch is further tied up in a German investigation concerning German automaker Daimler AG over manipulated emissions tests on their diesel vehicles.
The damage was undoubtedly done to Volkswagen, and Ford Motor Company has to be looking to the outcome there as they anticipate and prepare to defend their position regarding the diesel scandal. It is estimated that the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal has cost the company as much as $30 billion since it came to light in 2015.
For Ford, a major blow to their reputation is also at stake. The company, which has long operated under the image of a great American standard of tradition and excellence, marketed their Ford F-Series trucks as “the cleanest super diesel ever”. Owners of the vehicles were willing to shell out for such a standard; the models sold between 2011 and 2017 cost vehicle owners approximately $10,000 more than the alternative gasoline-powered pickup truck. If the allegations of fraud hold true, not only is Ford liable to breaking federal environmental laws, but are also beholden to the customers that they potentially defrauded out of major financial values in their effort to market a clean diesel vehicle that may not be so clean after all.
It is these cases of when vehicle consumers are potentially treated hastily at the whims of major multinational automobile companies when our law firm feels the need to step in and protect consumer rights. We are very willing to work with clients that require representation against major vehicle manufacturers like Ford Motor Company when they treat their customers irresponsibly, much as they are currently alleged to have done to loyal Ford consumers in this situation.
Lemon Law Now, is your California lemon law attorney. We’re actively working to follow the Ford Motor Company F-Series lawsuit as it continues to develop, taking careful note of the particulars of the case and remaining prepared for our clients should it be discovered that Ford is in fact culpable in purposely perpetrating this case. Our clients can stay at ease knowing that Shainfeld will fight tirelessly in the courts to ensure that their rights as a consumer are protected and that their concerns are heard. Using our wealth of knowledge in lemon law and years of experience, we will push forward to get our clients paid for any type of outstanding damages that the courts may decide Ford is responsible for.
If you’re not already a client but are a Ford owner, we welcome you to contact our offices and learn more about your rights as a consumer and discuss whether or not you may be eligible in a court of law to receive compensation for claims against automobile companies that have acted with irresponsibility in regards to their customers. Whether you have a Ford F-Series diesel truck that may be party to this emissions scandal, or even if you’re the owner of another Ford vehicle type that has been facing noteworthy or abnormal defects that you believe Ford or other automobile companies may have some responsibility over, reach out to us for a consultation to discuss the potentials of a case.