Ford class action alleges Transit Trail recall remedy devalues vehicles

Ford Transit Trail class action overview:

• Who: Two Ford vehicle owners are suing Ford Motor Co.
• Why: The plaintiffs claim Ford Transit Trail vehicles have a defect that causes the tires to rub against the wheel well, causing damage to both.
• Where: The Ford Transit Trail class action lawsuit was filed in Delaware federal court.

Two plaintiffs have filed a nationwide class action lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. alleging its 2023 and 2024 model year Ford Transit Trail vehicles have a defect that causes the tires to rub against the wheel well, causing damage to both.

Plaintiffs Michele Provo and Susan Cherwa filed the class action complaint against Ford on May 8 in Delaware federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

According to the lawsuit, the Ford Transit Trail vehicles were marketed as off-road capable, but the geometry of the wheel wells and suspension cannot accommodate the standard 30.5-inch tires that come with the vehicle.

As a result, the tires strike the wheel arch liners, leading to damage to both the wheel wells and the tires, the lawsuit explains.

The plaintiffs allege this poses a safety risk, as tires are critical components of a vehicle, essential for traction, braking, steering responsiveness and stability.

A failure in these areas can have catastrophic consequences, the lawsuit states.

Ford Transit Trail owners forced to replace tires with smaller ones, lawsuit alleges

Provo and Cherwa allege that as a result of the defect, Ford issued a recall in April 2024 following a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, authorizing dealers to replace the 30.5-inch tires with smaller 28.5-inch tires, among other repairs.

However, the plaintiffs argue this “repair” lowers the ground clearance of the vehicle, defeating the purpose of purchasing an off-road capable vehicle.

They claim they were not offered any compensation for the failure of the Ford Transit Trail package in their vehicles, which they specifically bargained and paid for.

The plaintiffs are looking to represent anyone in the United States who bought or leased a 2023 or 2024 model year Ford Transit Trail vehicle.

They are suing for violations of state and federal consumer laws and seek certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

So far this year, Ford has been slapped with two additional lawsuits. A class action filed in February alleges Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Maverick vehicles are equipped with defective batteries, while another filed in March claims Ford failed to disclose a defect in its Mustang Mach-E vehicles that can cause passengers to become trapped inside.

What do you think of the allegations in this Ford Transit Trail lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Russell D. Paul, Amey J. Park and Natalie Lesser of Berger Montague P.C. and Cody R. Padgett, Abigail Gertner, Majdi Hijazin and Nate Kiyam of Capstone Law APC.

The Ford Transit Trail class action lawsuit is Provo, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, Case No. 1:25-cv-00569-UNA, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

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