— A Ford EcoBoost class action lawsuit has been dismissed after Ford owners claimed defective oil pumps caused failures of the 1-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engines.
The class action lawsuit includes these Ford models and years:
- 2016-2017 Ford Fiesta
- 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport
- 2016-2018 Ford Focus
The alleged oil pump problems cause failures of the oil to circulate and protect the EcoBoost engines. And the owners who filed the lawsuit contend repairing the EcoBoost engine can cost more than the engine itself.
Ford allegedly knows the EcoBoost engines have problems because the automaker has issued technical service bulletins and special service messages (SSMs) to dealers about the 1-liter engines.
SSM 48093 was issued for 2018-2019 Ford EcoSport vehicles with EcoBoost engines that “may exhibit a loss of engine oil pressure with an illuminated oil pressure warning lamp."
SSM 49726 was issued for EcoBoost oil pump tensioners for certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2019 Ford EcoSports built before July 3, 2019. Dealers were told to replace the engine assemblies for failed engine oil pump tensioners.
SSM 49918 was then issued which said to, “[r]eplace the engine assembly with a long block option 6006 and the turbocharger.”
Ford recalled 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles in December 2023 because the drive belt tensioners or oil pump drive belts could fail.
The "engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure." — Ford
Ford failed to get the class action lawsuit dismissed even though the automaker told the judge that none of the plaintiffs had taken advantage of the recall repairs.
Although Ford argued the lawsuit should be dismissed based on the EcoBoost engine recall, the judge found even though the allegedly defective parts would be replaced for free, the plaintiffs still claimed their vehicles were worth less than normal because of the oil pumps.
Even though the plaintiffs hadn't taken advantage of the free recall repairs, Judge Gregory B. Williams said he must accept as true when the plaintiffs said the EcoBoost engine recall "does not make them whole."
The judge did dismiss express warranty claims, two Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act claims, claims seeking equitable relief and claims under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act. However, he said the class action lawsuit could continue based on the remaining claims.
However, court records indicate plaintiffs Veronica Maldonado, John Wright, Margaret Vasquez, Tracey Drotos, Marlon Bolton, Bea Tyree, Lane Tyree, Scott Martin, Jenny Ptaszek, Gina Bilotta voluntarily dismissed their EcoBoost lawsuit.
The Ford EcoBoost class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware: Bolton, et al., v. Ford Motor Company.
The plaintiffs are represented by Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP, Berger Montague PC, and Capstone Law APC.
