Since its humble beginnings in 1903, the Ford Motor Company has become a powerhouse of the auto industry, and today sits as the second-largest automaker in the U.S. and the fifth-largest in the world. Known for their quality and reliability, Ford sells about 2.5 million automobiles every year. Despite their stellar track record, it’s inevitable that a few are going to come off the assembly line in less-than-perfect conditions. We’re experts on Ford recalls, Ford lemon law, and Ford Lemon Law Claims in California and we’re here to help.
Do you have a Ford lemon? If your Ford is still under warranty, you’re off to a good start. There are consumer protection laws both on the federal and state level for those with Ford that are still under warranty. If you’ve taken your Ford in for multiple repair attempts while under warranty, or it’s been out of commission for an extended period while under warranty, there’s a good chance you have a Ford lemon and can file a Ford Lemon Law claim in California.
There have been numerous Ford recalls in the past, including Ford Focus recalls, Ford F-150 recalls, and the Ford airbag recall. Check the Ford recall list if you think your Ford may be affected — you may be eligible for a Ford buyback. While these are common defects that have occurred in several different Ford models, including the F-150, Fiesta ST, Focus RS, Ford Mustang, Ford GT, Ford Fiesta, Ford Fusion, Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer, and Ford Super Duty, defects that justify bringing a Ford lemon law claim are not limited to the list below.
One of the more common Ford models that turns into a lemon has to be the 2018 Ford Focus. The Ford Focus has been recalled twice in the short time that it has been sold to the public, once for its powertrain manual transmission and once for fuel system and gasoline storage.
The 2018 Ford Focus was recalled recently over its powertrain. Ford stated that the Ford Focus’ clutch on the manual transmission might fracture, which can lead to damage to the transmission assembly or cause a fluid leak. A user on NHTSA wrote about their experience with the transmission problems:
“I’ve owned three different fords, all of which were the Focus SE (2013,2014, and debated purchasing 2018) and all of these have had issues with the transmissions slipping. When shifting from first to second gear while driving, the car jolts back and forth and hesitates to shift gears. I test drove the car today and even the dealer admitted that this is not normal for cars but for this car is typical because there are so many issues.”
Ford recalled the Focus over the Canister Purge Valve malfunctioning, leading to an excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system. This issue can lead to the engine stalling while you are driving without the ability to restart the car which increases the likelihood of causing a collision.
Another common Ford lemon model is the 2018 Ford Escape. The Ford Escape has been recalled for its side window airbags and its front brake hoses.
There have been a number of complaints about people’s airbags not going off after getting in a collision in the 2018 Ford Escape. One user on NHTSA wrote:
“Bought the vehicle on the 24th of April 2018. had a collision with another vehicle traveling the speed limit of 60 miles an hour. I rear-ended the other vehicle after the brakes locked up and I did not stop. The airbags also did not deploy. The entire front end of the vehicle was pushed in due to the collision. It was just considered a total loss and now I don’t have a vehicle because of faulty manufacturing.”
A somewhat common issue people are having with the 2018 Ford Escape is the pre-collision assist braking system engaging even when there are no other vehicles around. This can cause an unexpected stopping of your vehicle which can lead to collisions or damage to your vehicle.
The 2018 Ford F-150 is another common Ford lemon. The 2018 Ford F-150 has been recalled a staggering 11 times since first being sold to the public. A few of these recalls were about seat belt issues, automatic transmission problems, problems with the engine, and the fuel system.
One NHTSA 2018 Ford F-150 lemon owners talked about an incident with the 3.5 EcoBoost making a loud noise that has occurred in previous F-150 models:
“2018 f-150 3.5 EcoBoost makes a loud clattering sound after a cold start. The vehicle is still stationary and the sound lasts between 1-3 seconds. this will not occur on a warm startup, only cold. it appears to be a valve train clatter coming from the top of the engine. This same problem was diagnosed on the previous generation 3.5 EcoBoost engine and apparently, this problem still exists. I have a video of the startup sound if needed, but it’s widely documented on the internet.”
The 2018 Ford F-150 was once recalled for potential damage to the truck’s block heater cable after a recent repair to another recall issue. This issue could potentially cause a resistive short, which increases the risk of a fire starting.
Our firm specializes in representing individuals who have purchased or leased a defective vehicle, commonly known as a “lemon.” If you have experienced repeated issues with your Ford vehicle, including mechanical or electrical defects, we can help you pursue a lemon law claim. Our experienced attorneys can guide you through the legal process and work to secure the compensation you deserve.
Here is a list of eligible Ford models manufactured in 2018 or later:
We’ve already brought several lemon law cases against Ford in California and won multiple Ford buybacks for our clients. It can be tricky to determine if your car really is a lemon, and Ford manufacturers will try to get out of their responsibility to compensate you for a faulty Ford. That’s why getting help from an expert attorney is so important. Whether your Ford is new, used, purchased, or leased, give us a call and we’ll help you with your California Ford lemon law claim.
In lemon law, we often say that the manufacturer has the opportunity to make a reasonable number of repairs before your Ford can be claimed a lemon. This means that the manufacturer doesn’t get an unlimited amount of time or attempts to fix your Ford — at a certain point, you must be compensated for the time, trouble, and expenses caused by your defective Ford. While the number that constitutes a “reasonable number attempts” differs from state to state, in Ford Lemon Law for California, this criteria has been met when one of the following has happened:
No matter how dependable a Ford manufacturer may have a reputation for being, they are still capable of building cars with unknown defects. And when those defects are found, the Ford manufacturer will typically issue a recall to fix the problem at no cost to the consumers who have purchased those cars.
Usually, these recalls are issued by model, manufacturing date or VIN. A recall can either be issued by the Ford manufacturer directly or by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Though Ford vehicles are often thought of as reliable American-made cars, they’ve had their fair share of manufacturing issues in the past. In fact, Ford is known for having one of the biggest recalls in history. In 1980, Ford Motor recalled 21 million cars across 10 model years for a defect that caused some Fords to slip from “park” into “reverse.” The issue was linked to 6,000 accidents and almost 100 deaths before Ford sent out a sticker for drivers to put on their dashboard as a reminder to be more cautious.
And in 1996, Ford had another absurdly high recall, landing the Ford manufacturer the top two slots for most recalled Fords. This time, 7.9 million cars were recalled due to faulty ignition switches, which could short circuit and actually cause a fire in the car’s steering column.
Thankfully, the Ford manufacturer’s way of handling recalls has come a long way in the decades since — even if they haven’t been entirely exempt from manufacturing defects. Over the last several years, Ford cars have been recalled for everything from seatbelt and headlight/taillight issues to problems with the fuel system, airbags and brakes.
Models from trucks to SUVs to sedans have all been recalled over the years. We’re listing five recent recalls from Ford, so you can check to see if your Ford is among them. And as always, be sure to check the NHTSA or Ford websites for full details regarding Ford recalls.
At Lemon Law Now, our Ford Lemon Law Lawyers are proud to offer our experienced legal services to clients across the great state of California, including all major cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Stockton, Riverside, Irvine, Santa Ana, Chula Vista, Fremont, Santa Clarita, San Bernardino, Modesto, Fontana etc. Our dedicated team of experienced attorneys is committed to providing comprehensive representation and seeking justice for our clients in every corner of the state. If you’re facing a lemon law issue, don’t hesitate to contact us for professional assistance in your area.
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When a recent client came to us after experiencing issues with their newly purchased F-150, we learned that they met the
Ford lemon law California criteria. We quickly and aggressively approached Ford with our demands, and they immediately chose to settle favorably out of court, paying our client’s legal fees as well.
No out-of-pocket fees unless we win. When you work with the lemon lawyers at Lemon Law Now, you can anticipate generous compensation, and rest assured that we employ lemon laws, including the lemon law presumption, to ensure that the manufacturer will always handle your legal expenses. You won't have to worry about any out-of-pocket costs when you choose to work with Shainfeld Law.
At Shainfeld Law, you’ll always be speaking with the attorney who will be handling your case
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