Why is Ford Under Investigation by the Justice Department?

With Ford under investigation by the Justice Department owners of Rangers and F150 pickups may get to the bottom of their fuel economy problems. The criminal inquiry is looking into whether the Ford company has complied with industry pollution standards.

What is the Government Looking Into?

According to the New York Times, Ford claimed in their SEC filing recently that they had informed multiple state and federal agencies about issues over their emissions and testing for fuel efficiency. The car makers argued at that time that they were cooperating with all government questions and investigations.

The primary concerns raised in the investigation have to do with road load estimations. Some have even suggested Ford has been using a “mileage cheat device.” Employees were the first ones to claim that the modeling methods and calculations that are used to estimate emissions and fuel economy are not accurate, painting a picture of the vehicles that is not accurate.

Is Ford the First Company to Come Under Fire for Emissions Issues?

Putting Ford under investigation makes this the third time that a manufacturer has been under investigation at the federal level for emissions problems in the past few years, according to Bloomberg. Volkswagen previously paid billions in a penalties after being accused of misleading consumers and regulators about the emissions from their diesel engines.

Fiat Chrysler also paid fines and civil costs for claims brought by the Justice Department and the state of California after the company was accused of using illegal software to share emissions levels released by the cars.

Investigations at the federal level are either criminal or civil in nature, and criminal might be selected by the government when agents believe the company intentionally violated the law.

How Did Employees Speak Out About the Ford Issue?

Prior to statements about Ford under investigation by the Justice Department, a few employees used an internal reporting channel. Ford then responded to these claims by hiring a company to complete a review, after which point regulators were notified about the possible problem.

These steps taken by Ford could help to reduce potential penalties lodged against the company if regulators decide that improper actions were taken.

Is Ford Accused of Using Illegal Software?

Unlike the Volkswagen emissions scandal, Ford is not accused of using some software to produce illegal readings. Instead, workers say that Ford might have taken a mistaken approach to calculate tire friction and drag when using that data to share the fuel economy of their cars.

Several Ford models are currently under investigation including the 2019 Ranger pickup. In the past, the company had to restate fuel economy ratings on other models as well. Many consumers might be wondering whether or not their vehicle is affected, but no details have been released about how widespread the issue might be.

In 2014, inflated fuel economy ratings led to civil penalties for Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp.

Although it is not yet known how many vehicles are affected, it could be the case that consumers affected by an emissions scandal could have grounds for litigation against the company. Ford is also under fire for other alleged widespread problems including leaking issues with the Ford Super Duty truck engine.

How does the fuel economy issue affect drivers?

Digital Trends outlines some of the measurable ways in which the problem of real fuel economy not matching advertised fuel economy takes a toll on Ford drivers. 

According to Digital Trends, the lawsuit that challenged Ford’s fuel economy measurement claimed that Ford’s rigged fuel tests inflated fuel economy by 15 percent for highway driving and 10 percent for city driving.

This may not seem like much, but the lawsuit alleged that this percentage could cost Ford F150 drivers a total of $2,000 in gasoline over the lifetime of the vehicle, if the life of the vehicle is estimated that 150,000 miles.

Digital Trends notes that drivers themselves say that the trucks’ fuel economy is not what was advertised. Though the Environmental Protection Agency says that the F150 trucks with V6 engines have a fuel economy of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway, Digital Trends says that drivers would place the trucks’ true mileage at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway.

The lawsuit over the issue asserted that the problem may be unfortunately widespread, saying that it shouldn’t be assumed that the mileage problem is contained to just the V6 model 2018 F150, as previously stated.

This means that more vehicles could be affected than what is currently known, and as the investigation into the issue continues, the list of affected vehicles — and thereby affected drivers — could grow.

Join a Free Ford Truck Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you own or lease a 2019 Ford Ranger or F150 and have experienced less-than-expected gas mileage or if you feel you are simply filling up your gas tank much more than you expected, you may be entitled to compensation.

Get a Free Case Evaluation Now

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.