Ford F-150 Brake Failure Suit Continue

Source: CARCOMPLAINTS.COM excerpt

DETROIT —  A Ford F-150 brake-failure lawsuit will continue after a federal judge dismissed most of the allegations that Ford trucks are equipped with defective brake master cylinders.

The Ford F-150 brake failure class action lawsuit was filed in 2018 after plaintiffs complained about 2013-2018 F-150 master cylinders that leaked brake fluid. The loss of brake fluid allegedly causes brake failures suddenly and without warning, something Ford allegedly has long known about.

According to the lawsuit, the Ford 2013-2018 F-150s contain Hitachi master cylinders that use single cup seal pistons to hold the pressurized brake fluid. The plaintiffs claim the master cylinder pistons need two cup seals to prevent brake fluid from leaking and causing brake failures.

In July 2019, the judge dismissed most of the brake failure claims, including all of the plaintiffs’ express and implied warranty of merchantability claims, unjust enrichment claims and claims under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA).

However, the plaintiffs amended their lawsuit by adding more plaintiffs from more states and repleaded certain claims.

The judge went down a list of allegations starting with express warranty claims, finding the plaintiffs didn’t allege they experienced any problems once the master cylinders were replaced by Ford.

Bringing on new plaintiffs in the amended suit did no good with implied warranty of merchantability claims. Those claims failed because the lawsuit “lacks factual allegations that the alleged master cylinder defect renders their vehicles unmerchantable.”

“This Court previously held that, where a plaintiff ‘does not allege his [or her] vehicle cannot brake nor that he [or she] is unable to use his vehicle,’ any ‘implied warranty claims fail for this reason.’” – Judge Gershwin A. Drain

According to the judge, the new plaintiffs never allege their trucks cannot brake or be driven.

The judge also dismissed an Illinois implied warranty claim because the driver claimed the truck was dangerous to drive, but “his actions belie[d]” that allegation because he continued to drive the truck.

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