Bolton et al. v. Ford Motor Company

Attention: Any owners or lessees of a 2016 or later Ford-brand vehicle equipped with a 1.0L EcoBoost engine, including 2016-2017 Ford Fiesta, 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport, and 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles.

Berger Montague is currently representing owners or lessees of a 2016 or later Ford-brand vehicle equipped with a 1.0L EcoBoost engine, including 2016-2017 Ford Fiesta, 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport, and 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles alleging that Ford Motor Company marketed, distributed, and sold these vehicles with a defective engine which does not allow for the engine oil to properly circulate, thus damaging the engine and causing it to fail prematurely.

What Are the Allegations?

The plaintiffs are owners and lessees of 2016 or later Ford-brand vehicles equipped with a 1.0L EcoBoost engine which are equipped with defective engine which fails to properly circulate the engine oil which is necessary to lubricate the internal moving components of the engine. When the engine slows or stops circulating oil, the engine temperature increases until the engine will abruptly seize.  Plaintiffs allege that this defect is the result of defective oil pump belt tensioners which do not meet industry or manufacturer standards.

Unfortunately, consumers are given little or no warning before the engine suddenly fails while the vehicle is motion.  Symptoms include abnormal noise coming from the engine and increasing engine temperature as oil pressure drops.  

Unfortunately, the low oil pressure warning light in the vehicles is programmed to warn the driver only if there is a catastrophic drop in oil pressure, giving consumers little or even no time to pull over before the engine seizes.  When the engine stops while the vehicle is being driven, the vehicle will go into “limp mode,” causing the vehicle to decelerate rapidly or stop suddenly in the middle of traffic.

Ford was well aware of the risks of putting vehicles with a defective engine that is prone to suddenly failing on the road but chose to market, distribute and sell these vehicles to the general public regardless of the safety risk.  As a result, consumers are left with costly repair bills, and unsafe and unreliable vehicles rather than the reliable vehicles they thought they were buying.

What’s the Status of the Case?

The plaintiffs filed the case in June 2023.  We are currently speaking to other class members who purchased or leased a 2016 or later Ford-brand vehicle equipped with a 1.0L EcoBoost engine, including 2016-2017 Ford Fiesta, 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport, and 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles in order to add their claims to the case.

Do I Have To Pay To Consult With Berger Montague?

The lawyers in Berger Montague’s Automotive Defect Group are available to review your potential claims free of charge.  If we decided to represent you in a lawsuit, we will enter into a written contingent fee agreement with you, meaning that Berger Montague only gets paid if we are successful in obtaining a recovery for you.

How Do I Get More Information?

If you purchased or leased a 2016 or later Ford-brand vehicle equipped with a 1.0L EcoBoost engine, including 2016-2017 Ford Fiesta, 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport, and 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles, please contact Berger Montague by completing the form on this page or give us a call.

The lawyers in Berger Montage’s Automotive Defect Group work relentlessly to champion the rights of consumers and force manufacturers to take responsibility for the defective products they put on the market.  Our lawyers are dedicated to vindicating consumers’ claims under state warranty and consumer protection law and have a proven track record of success in obtaining compensation for vehicle owners who purchased or leased defective vehicles.

If you have purchased or leased a vehicle and experienced a defect which impacted the safety of the vehicle and has resulted in economic losses, please contact Berger Montague.  Our award-winning lawyers are available to speak with you free of charge.

About Berger Montague

Berger Montague is a national law firm focusing on complex civil litigation in federal and state courts throughout the United States. For over half a century, Berger Montague has played lead roles in consequential, precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.