Santa Cruz, CA: A defective automotive class action lawsuit has been filed against Ford Motor Co., alleging it sold vehicles with defective lug nuts that swell and delaminate to such an extent that drivers cannot remove them with a lug wrench provided by Ford. This results in drivers being forced to pay a professional to replace the parts.
The Ford vehicles involved include the Ford Fusion, Escape, Flex, Focus, F-150 and F-350. According to the complaint, while the drivers might reasonably expect to be able to replace a flat tire using the wrench that is supplied by Ford with these vehicles, in practice, they cannot because the wrench no longer fits over the lug nuts if they swell or delaminate.
According to the complaint, filed by Ford drivers from seven states, the lug nuts that secure the wheels to Ford’s Fusion, Escape, Flex, Focus, F-150 and F-350 vehicles are made with a steel core and a chrome, aluminum or stainless steel cap that improves the product’s appearance but swells and delaminates. This purported defect renders the Ford-provided wrench useless, making drivers pay more than $30 per wheel, plus labor, to replace the parts and often stranding the drivers on the side of the road with a flat tire.
Consequently, drivers who have a flat tire can become stuck on the side of the road they are unable to fix themselves, putting them in a “precarious and dangerous place,” the lawsuit states. When drivers do make it to a repair facility, they typically have to pay for the labor of removing the defective lug nuts as well as new parts, the complaint states.
Further, the drivers claim that Ford doesn’t replace the faulty lug nuts, even if the parts fail within the new vehicle warranty period. This forces the affected vehicles owners to “spend hundreds of dollars for new lug nuts and the labor to install them,” the lawsuit states.
Ford customers have submitted “numerous complaints” to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which Ford monitors, the complaint states. Therefore, the automaker is aware of the problem, according to the lawsuit.
The drivers seek to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased or leased an affected vehicle as well as classes of drivers in each of the 50 states. It is estimated that millions of vehicles have been affected.
The drivers are represented by Steve W. Berman and Thomas E. Loeser of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and E. Powell Miller and Sharon S. Almonrode of The Miller Law Firm PC.
The case isJosh Wozniak et al. vs. Ford Motor Company, case number 2:17-cv-12794 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
I own a 2016 fusion front tire went flat couldn't get the lug wrench to fit because the nut were swollen. Had car towed to a shop where they had to pound a socket on the lugs to remove them. changed all 20 lug nuts to 1 piece chrome cost 145 to change all the nuts plus the 125 for the tow not counting being stuck on the side of the road for over 2 hrs in the rain.
Posted by JENIFER HIXSON
on
Took my 2017 Ford Expedition in for an oil change and tire rotation at our local Ford dealership after waiting for two hours they informed me they couldn't do the Tire Rotation due to "Swollen " lug nuts they showed me a bored of lug nuts busted apart and said mine looked like them and informed me it would cost $120.00 on top of oil and tire rotation charge to replace all lug nuts . Keep in mind This vehicle is two years old …. I told them I couldn't pay that right now so they said they couldn't do the tire rotation and if I have a flat I will not be bale to change the tire myself with the Factory Ford Lug Wrench. I believe ford is not recalling these because they are making a HUGE PROFIT on people paying the $120.00 fee for aftermarket lug nuts !
Posted by Diana Gaylord
on
I couldn't get a tire rotation that comes with my oil changed. I had to spend 130.00 to replace all the swollen lugnuts. I think I should be able to get rembusmused. For fault y . Lugnuts. This is very sad that they are not recalling these lugnuts. And actually making people pay to replace. Knowing the risk of having people on the side of the road and possibly be hit. Try to removed something that is not removable. Be included me on any action. That may taking against Ford motor s
Posted by David
on
I've had quite a few cars with this type of lug nut, and, while I have had a couple that the decorative cover came off, I've never had a problem removing them, nor have I had any that came loose.
I suspect a big part of the problem is people who use impact wrenches to install lug nuts.
Use the proper tools, a torque wrench set to the proper setting, and you won't have problems with your nuts.
Posted by Tommy Gambon
on
I own a 2014 Ford Escape that has these ridiculous lug nuts on them. Because my CUV is 4 years old the tires have all been changed due to normal wear. Almost all the lug nuts were distorted/ruined by the process of removing and replacing them. I've owned 7 Fords over the years and I hope Ford will make good on these replacement lug nuts.
Posted by Bethany Dangler
on
I have a 2011 Ford Fusion and I almost lost my front drivers side wheel on the turnpike. While I was driving, 4 out of my 5 lug nuts had come off and the bolts snapped as well. I am very lucky to have noticed something wrong and pulled over before a bad accident could have happened. Thought that my lug nuts just weren't torqued correctly.... I now know this might not be the case.
Posted by Gordon
on
I have a 2014 ford Escape I had a similar problem I had to replace all the lug nuts when the case is settled how would we get reimbursed
Posted by michael macdonald
on
I have owened nothing but ford and had to replace all the lug nut on my 04/07 /99 ford truck and have bent the lug wrench on 2 of my truck because they were too tight
Posted by Patricia Brown
on
I own a 1995 ford F150. When I bought new tires the tire company said I need to replace all lug nuts on the truck. They were all bad. Luckily I barely caught it in time. Cost me 50.00 to replace them all
Posted by allan stanton
on
could not remove tire on roadside and had to PLUG the tire and drive precariously. FORD prefers this--as their media statements indicate
Posted by jordan candelera
on
currently own f150 has had problems with lug nuts Ford told body repair shop after wreck, to not replace lugs from tires damaged. and they would reimburse
Posted by david brewton
on
currently own f150 has had problems with lug nuts
Posted by Shawn Delmar
on
I also have received this issue within my 2010 Ford Escape XLT 4 wheel drive. I earlier & unfortunately had to contact an external company for helping me exchange my flat tire then --> as their wrench couldn't unfortunately help me unscrew my lug nuts.
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