Ford Class Action Alleges Defective Sunroofs Explode

A class action lawsuit alleges that the Ford Motor Company knowingly sells vehicles with defective sunroofs.

According to the class action, at least 70 complaints have been filed with the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) stating that the sunroof in their Ford automobiles violently shattered.

“The shattering events are so powerful that startled drivers compare it to the sound of a gunshot, after which glass fragments rain down upon the occupants of the vehicle, sometimes while driving at highway speeds,” the complaint asserts.

The Ford defective sunroof class action lawsuit states that since the mid-2000s, manufacturers have expanded sunroofs to cover almost the entire roof of some automobiles.

Typically large sunroofs are an added cost to the buyer, sometimes thousands of dollars more than the sunroof actually costs to make.

The complaint contends that engineering that glass roof to be safe can be tricky. The class action alleges that Ford (as well as its other brands Mercury and Lincoln), use thinner glass than most manufacturers to increase fuel efficiency.

In addition, the lawsuit claims that Ford uses glass that has been tempered with ceramics, instead of laminated glass like some other car companies. That thinner, tempered glass contains a design defect that causes it to shatter, according to the complaint.

More importantly, the class action alleges that Ford has known of this defect as early as 2008, when at least five complaints were filed with NHTSA.

The class complaint also cites news articles from 2011 and 2012 that mention the potential of these sunroofs to “spontaneously shatter.”

Finally, in its response to a NHTSA investigation in 2014, Ford admitted that it had received 90 complaints and three lawsuits about the sunroofs in its Ford Edge, just one of its models.

The class action contends that despite this knowledge that its sunroofs can explode without warning, Ford has not issued a recall on any of the affected models.

Plaintiffs Douglas and Kathleen Krebsbach state that they purchased a 2013 Ford Escape with a factory-installed panoramic sunroof.

Mr. Krebsbach claims that on Feb. 8, 2016, he and a passenger were traveling on a highway in light traffic at 60 mph, when the sunroof exploded outwards, and some shattered glass fell inside the car.

Mr. Krebsbach thought that someone had shot the roof of his vehicle, and claims that he and his passenger were terrified.

Mr. Krebsbach states that he informed Ford about the sunroof, but Ford responded that it was not responsible for the sunroof failure and refused to pay the repair costs.

Similarly, plaintiffs James and Martha Alexander state that they purchased a new 2013 Lincoln MKX which had its panoramic sunroof shatter in April of 2016.

They also reported the issue to Ford and their insurance company, but both refused to cover the cost of repairs.

The models that the Ford defective sunroof class action lawsuit asserts contain this design defect are the “Ford Edge 2007-present, Ford Flex 2009-2016, Ford Focus 2009-2016, Ford Fusion 2010-present, Ford Explorer 2011-2016, Ford F 150 2011-2016, Ford Mustang 2009-2014, Ford Escape 2013-2016, Ford Transit Connect 2014-2106, Ford C-Max 2013-2016, Lincoln MKX 2007-2016, Lincoln MKS 2009-2015, Lincoln MKZ 2013-2016, Lincoln MKT 2010-2016, Mercury Milan 2010-2011, and Mercury Montego 2010-2011.”

The lawsuit seeks to certify a Class of all purchasers in the United States of those model vehicles with factory-installed panoramic sunroofs.

The class action requests restitution, punitive damages, and a court order requiring Ford to adequate disclose and repair its defective sunroofs.

The plaintiffs are represented by Crystal Foley, Paul J. Hanly, Jr., and Mitchell M. Breit of Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, and Gregory F. Coleman, Mark E. Silvey, Adam A. Edwards, and Lisa A. White of Greg Coleman Law PC.

The Ford Defective Sunroof Class Action Lawsuit is Douglas Krebsbach, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, Case No. 2:16-cv-02200, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

UPDATE: The Ford Defective Sunroof class action lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed on October 3, 2016.