Ford Faces Allegations Over Promoting an Absent Feature on New Trucks | Carscoops
Multiple 2024 F-150 Lightnings are reportedly lacking the Forward Sensing System that was expected to be included.
21 hours ago
by Brad Anderson
Ford is facing a lawsuit regarding absent safety technology in the 2024 F-150 Lightnings.
The plaintiffs argue that Ford misrepresented the features noted on the window stickers.
The company has offered $100 reimbursements, but vehicle owners assert that this barely compensates for their losses.
Ford's electric pickup has been regarded as a key indicator of mainstream demand for electric vehicles, but recent developments have shifted focus away from performance metrics like torque and battery life. Instead, the company is now under legal scrutiny for an entirely different issue.
Read: F-150 Lightning Production Halted Indefinitely As Ford Shifts Focus to Gas Trucks Again
In the U.S., Ford is being sued over allegations that certain 2024 F-150 Lightning models, which were advertised with a Forward Sensing System, were delivered without it. The lawsuit claims that customers have experienced “damages” due to the absence of this safety feature and that the company’s attempts to rectify the situation have been inadequate.
Missing Sensors or Lack of Disclosure?
The class action, initiated in the US District Court for the Eastern District of California, asserts that the window stickers on the 2024 F-150 Lightning models explicitly state that the vehicles are equipped with a Forward Sensing System, which comprises several parking sensors on the front bumper.
Reportedly, Ford informed U.S. dealerships on March 31 that all 2024 F-150 Lightnings touted with the system were actually manufactured without it. The company afterward began reaching out to customers with an offer of a $100 refund to resolve what it termed a window-sticker error.
The Plaintiff's Claims
Ibrahim Lunawadawala, the plaintiff in this lawsuit, argues that the refund offer is inadequate, highlighting that installing comparable aftermarket sensors would require significantly more expense. The filing states that Ford “has not been willing to provide sufficient compensation to affected consumers.”
“The plaintiff, Lunawadawala, has incurred a discernible loss due to Ford’s misrepresentations, which include, but are not limited to, a reduced value of his vehicle and other consequential damages,” the lawsuit states, referencing Carcomplaints.
Production Halt and Broader Issues
This legal situation arises shortly after Ford announced it was halting production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning indefinitely, reallocating resources back to gas and hybrid models.
This decision aimed to tackle declining sales of the model and was also influenced by a significant fire at a Novelis aluminum plant in Canada, a facility that supplies Ford with the aluminum necessary for all F-150 models.
Sources: Law, CarComplaints
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Ford Faces Allegations Over Promoting an Absent Feature on New Trucks | Carscoops
Numerous 2024 F150 Lightnings lack the Forward Sensing System that they were expected to be fitted with.
