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.
โThe 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,โ 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 allegesย 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 โspontaneously shatter.โ
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 โFord 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.โ
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.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
ยฉ2008 โ 2024 Top Class Actionsยฎ LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
65 thoughts onFord Class Action Alleges Defective Sunroofs Explode
My 2013 F150 Limited had itโs Sun roof explode not long ago. This sounds like a class action lawsuit t me. How do I get involved?
I just noticed a crack in my 2016 Ford Edge.took it to my Ford dealership Marysville Ford they are trying to say the crack was caused by a rock. I had to force them to summit a claim to Ford to see if they will cover the damages. My wife and I didnโt see a rock chip but the dealer did.We will see what happens.
OMGโMy daughter just called and the sunroof on her Edge just exploded while driving. Will insurance pay for this and who do we call to report. ughโฆ
OMGโmy daughter just called and the sunroof on her Edge just exploded. Will insurance cover it?? Who do we call to report it. This is sooo dangerousโshe thought it was a gunshot.
My 2012 Ford Fusion sunroof just exploded on my son and his family while driving Sunday. They were all in the car driving a normal speed and said it sounded like a gunshot then glass fell on my son. This is horrible that Ford is not doing anything about this knowing it is a problem. I have had 8 Fords in my life with sunroofs and have never had this or even heard about something like this. Why wont they stand by there product.
My 16 Ford Edge just did this today not another vechicle in the road so I know nothing hit it sounded like a gunshot was horrible how can we keep informed about this law suit.
Yes how to you join? Our Sunroof just exploded on the high way! Almost causing an accident.
The case is still moving through the courts and has not yet reached a settlement. Claim forms are usually not made available to consumers until after a court approved settlement is reached. We recommend you sign up for a free account at TopClassActions.com and follow the case. We will update the article with any major case developments or settlement news! Setting up a free account with Top Class Actions will allow you to receive instant updates on ANY article that you โFollowโ on our website. A link to creating an account may be found here: https://topclassactions.com/signup/. You can then โFollowโ the article above, and get notified immediately when we post updates!
Same thing just happened to me yesterday on a bare dry highway, scared the crap out of me. Iโm out of Calgary Alberta Canada. Havenโt had my vehicle for a year yet and Ford wants to stick me with a $1500 hit to repair a defective part?
My panoramic sunroof just exploded out of my 2016 Ford Escape while I was driving down the highway. It sounded like a gunshot or a bomb going off. Ford says that something must have hit the sunroof for this to happen but there were no cars around me and I didnโt run over anything. Very scary!
I have a 2013 ford flex with 1 sunroof and 2 moon roofs.
I had a 1994 Ford Explorer and mine also shattered and sounded like a gunshot and all the glass feel in on me , my kids and husband.
The rear slider window on my F150 also shattered. Ford said they were not responsible but after I showed my dealer a blog with about 75 other people with same problem my dealer did cover.