Anne Bucher  |  June 26, 2017

Category: Consumer News

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Ford Lincoln spark plug class action settlementFord Motor Company and Lincoln Motor Company have been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging certain vehicles have a defect in the door latch assembly that causes “door ajar” warnings that prevent the doors from locking and cause the battery to run down.

The vehicles at issue in the Ford class action lawsuit include 2011 to 2016 Ford Edge vehicles, 2012 to 2014 Ford Flex vehicles, 2013 to 2014 Ford Explorers, 2011 to 2013 Lincoln MKX vehicles and 2013 Lincoln MKTs.

Plaintiff David Baranco alleges these vehicles contain a defect that causes them to frequently and intermittently display a false “door ajar” warning when all of the doors are closed.

“When the warning is falsely activated, all off the doors unlock, and the driver is unable to relock them, permitting passengers to open the doors while the vehicle is in motion and allowing the doors to open in the event of an accident, thereby increasing the risk of harm to the vehicle’s occupants,” the Ford door ajar defect class action lawsuit alleges. Door locks are essential for occupant safety and prevent passengers from being ejected from the vehicle in a rollover crash or other incident, the plaintiff states.

Further, when the door ajar notification is activated, it causes the interior dome lights to turn on and an audible alarm sounds repeatedly, according to the Ford class action lawsuit. When the interior lights are illuminated during nighttime driving, it can increase driver distraction and reduce visibility. According to the Ford class action lawsuit, the interior lights can also remain illuminated after the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk that the battery will drain.

Baranco attests that this Ford door ajar defect typically manifests outside the warranty period, and the vehicle owners must pay as much as $700 to fix the problem. Even if the Ford door ajar defect arises during the three-year warranty period, vehicle owners typically have to pay a $100 deductible for the repair and/or a diagnostic fee that costs between $100 and $200, according to the Ford class action lawsuit.

Even after having the Ford door ajar defect repaired, many Ford owners report that they still have the issue and have had to pay for further repairs.

Baranco asserts that Ford and Lincoln have known about the defective door latch assembly but failed to warn consumers about the defect. He says thousands of consumers have complained online about the Ford door ajar defect, and that as a result, the value of the vehicles has diminished.

According to the Ford class action lawsuit, Baranco would not have purchased his 2013 Ford Edge, or would have paid significantly less for it, if he had known about the door ajar defect.

The Ford door ajar defect class action lawsuit asserts violations of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, California’s Unfair Competition Law, breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, breach of express warranty and declaratory relief.

Baranco is represented by Timothy G. Blood, Leslie E. Hurst and Camille S. Bass of Blood Hurst & O’Reardon LLP and Courtney L. Davenport of The Davenport Law Firm LLC.

The Ford Door Ajar Defect Class Action Lawsuit is David Baranco v. Ford Motor Company, et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-03580, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division.

UPDATE: On March 12, 2018, a California federal judge trimmed claims from a class action lawsuit alleging certain Ford vehicles were sold with a door latch defect that cause “door ajar” warnings that prevent the doors from locking.

UPDATE 2: On Oct. 26, 2018, consumers managed to salvage claims for breach of warranty and consumer protection in a class action lawsuit alleging certain Ford and Lincoln door latches are defective.

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59 thoughts onFord Class Action Lawsuit Alleges ‘Door Ajar’ Defect

  1. Sally Swank says:

    I have the same problem with my 2011 Ford Edge with 64k miles on it. Also my drivers door window is also cracked after the dearlership looked at it. No one will seem to help with this issue. Vehicle has been serviced at two different dealerships and no one told us of this issue which could have been fixed before purchasing.

  2. Tekisha Nash says:

    I have a 2010 Lincoln MKX, and the back latch does not work. No warning, the button to raise the rear door stopped working inside the vehicle, not will the button on the outside work.

  3. Sue says:

    Same issue with 2011 Ford Edge

  4. m.kemp says:

    i have 2013 ford edge. the door ajar light stays on continuously. i feel its a safety issue because the doors do not lock when car is in gear. i have driven in areas when i have felt unsafe with my grandchildren in the back seat. also the top front light stays on. my battery had to be replaced. Safety issue for sure.

  5. Troy D. Holland says:

    I purchased my 2013 Ford Edge on 12/19/13 from Enterprise car sales in Chesterfield,Va. with a cordial transaction. My wife and I have been very pleased with vehicle except for this very annoying and unsafe condition. Still don’t understand the bulliness of the Ford Motor Co!! Will consider not having business with Ford products again. Seriously yours, Troy Holland

  6. Walt says:

    Older fords as well….2000 Ford Ranger does the same thing.

  7. Amanda Wenzel says:

    I also have a 05 that does the same thing

  8. Kim Jacobs says:

    We have a 2005 that eats batteries. We take it to the mechanic who can never find anything wrong. If we could afford to we would trade it off in a second.

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