Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Second Ford C-Max, Fusion Hybrid Class Action Lawsuit Filed
By Matt O’Donnell
Looks like Honda, Hyundai and Kia aren’t the only automakers in hot water for exaggerating the fuel efficiency of their vehicles. A new class action lawsuit claims Ford made false and misleading marketing claims about how many miles per gallon the 2013 Ford C-Max and Fusion hybrid vehicles obtain.
Lead plaintiff Richard Pitkin alleges in the Ford fuel economy class action lawsuit that the purchased a C-Max Hybrid in October and only averaged 37 mpg – significantly lower than the EPA rating of 47 mpg.
“In its advertising and marketing campaign for the vehicles, Ford claimed that the C-Max Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid achieved a class leading 47 Miles Per Gallon,” the class action lawsuit says. “These materials helped Ford achieve record sales for the first two months of C-MAX Hybrid sales, outselling its rival, hybrid sales leader Toyota, but there was a problem. These ads were false.”
The Environmental Protection Agency announced in December it would review Ford’s fuel efficiency claims after Consumer Reports found the C-Max Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid fell significantly short of the EPA window sticker rating.
According to Consumer Reports, the Ford C-MAX obtained 37 mpg overall with 35 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. Similar findings with the Fusion Hybrid found that the vehicle achieve 39 mpg in testing overall.
“These two vehicles have the largest discrepancy between our overall-mpg results and the estimates published by the EPA that we’ve seen among any current models,” Consumer Reports said in a statement.
Discrepancies between EPA window stickers and the actual fuel efficiency that drivers achieve have fueled a number of class action lawsuits in recent months. The Honda Civic Hybrid, Hyundai Elantra and a numerous Hyundai and Kia vehicles have been targeted by consumers who say the vehicles fell short of advertised mpg ratings.
A recent EPA investigation into Hyundai and Kia EPA ratings revealed 35% of their 2011-2013 vehicles had inflated fuel efficiency ratings.
The Ford Hybrid Fuel Efficiency Class Action Lawsuit is seeking punitive damages, including reimbursement for the purchase price of the Ford C-Max hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid.
The case is Richard Pitkin v. Ford Motor Company, Case No. 12-cv-2973, U.S. District Court, California Eastern District Court, Sacramento.
Updated June 14th, 2013
All class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Lawsuit News section of Top Class Actions
51 thoughts onFord C-Max, Fusion Hybrid MPG Class Action Lawsuit
I am also interested in joining the Lawsuit. I purchased a Ford Fusion Hybrid 2013 and my MPG range around 39 at best. Window sticker says 47. Never, ever saw that?
I would like to join this class action lawsuit. I am not getting the mileage that I was told I would get. I drive for a living and the great mileage was the reason I bought the cmax. I feel I was mislead big time.
I would like to join this class action lawsuit. I am not getting the mileage that I was told I would get. I drive for a living and the great mileage was the reason I bought the cmax. I feel I was mislead big time.
how do I join the lawsuit to be compensated for false advertising by ford for cmax fuel economy?
I would very much appreciate information on how I can join the class action lawsuit. I purchased a ford c-max in the beginning of December and had asked for my money back well before Christmas – for many of the reasons stated above. The fact that this vehicle is still being falsley advertised is unbelievable to me – what about truth in advertising
There is a very serious problem with my new C-Max, VIN 1FADP5BU2DL518258, that I need to discuss with Ford. It only gets about 38 mpg. I’ve nursed it along like an old lady for weeks now, perfecting the braking and cruising as I go, to squeeze out as much MPGs as I can. There is nothing I can do to get even close to 47 mpg or even break into the 40s. I have been a conservative driver for 43 years and I now drive even more conservatively than I ever have before and cannot not even get up to 40 mpg. This is with my achieving about 99% recharge from my braking, cruising and accelerating according to the cars own Braking Coach and Fuel Economy Graphs.
My wife and I purchased this C-Max based solely for the average 47 mpg city and 47 mpg highway. I would expect that by driving it as efficiently as I have been that I should even get slightly above the advertised average 47 mpg mileage. But, I cannot even get into the 40 mpg range. I can only get about 38 mpg if I drive it obnoxiously slow with no acceleration at all and slow stops, upsetting every one behind me and upsetting my wife in the car with me as well, risking life and limb watching the dashboard displays to make sure I am squeezing out the best gas mileage possible.
I am driving with the heat off until the windows begin to fog up. I am accelerating and breaking so gently and carefully that my legs are cramping up. I am even taking alternate routes to work to try to maximize the slopes in the road to achieve better cruising. I find myself driving 30 mph in 45 mph zones so I do not use as much gas for acceleration. It takes me twice as long to get to work and back.
I have contacted the dealer who said there is nothing that they can do and if the mileage does not increase after the break-in period to contact Ford.
I cannot tell you how much sleep I am losing over this issue and how much mental anguish this is causing me. Please bring me some closure to this issue before I get into an accident because of loss of sleep along with the excessive watching of the dashboard displays or some disgruntled, road raged, drive behind me rams into me or shoots me.
My wife and I need a resolution to this issue. We have just spent about an extra $7500 to purchase your C-Max hybrid vehicle to get 47 mpg instead of purchasing one of the other multitude of conventional cars that get gas mileage in the upper 30s. Now we are facing the fact that we are not going to be able to get the 47 mpg average that was advertised by Ford that we based our purchase on. We drive about 30,000 miles per year and the difference between 47 mpg and 38 mpg is about $50 per month for the extra gas. That extra $50 per month is going to cause us to have trouble paying our car payment. We purchased 47 mpg for $7500 but it apparently was not included with our vehicle upon delivery. It appears that Ford either falsely advertised the 47 mpg or we have a lemon. We want our 47 mpg or we want the extra $7500 back that we paid for your hybrid to get that 47 mpg.
How do I join the lawsuit?
I need to know the specifics of how to join this class action lawsuit regarding the C-Max Hybrid. Please send the information to my e-mail address. Thanks!!!! Charles Kromer
I purchased a new 2013 Cymax, have put 4,000 on it and has never gotten at 47 mpg. Did you ever find out how to get in on the lawsuit?
We purchased our C-Max on 9/29/2012 for the 47mpg also. like others, our car had 110 miles on it and a mpg of 26.6. I questioned this and did not get a very defined answer. I am doing a little better than most as I am getting 40.8 average and I am driving with the flow of other traffic. I also would like to join the lawsuit. How…
I purchased a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid and get only 33 MPG. I drive like a grandma now and have tried all the tricks but no go. Can you say Lemon Law. Oh that’s right you can’t do lemon law on gas mileage. That’s BS. I like the return for full credit as a great solution for all of us.