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Ford water pumps class action overview:
- Who: A Ford driver is suing the automaker.
- Why: The customer says certain Ford vehicles have an internal water pump issue that can cause catastrophic engine failure.
- Where: The Ford water pumps class action was filed in a New York federal court.
Ford hid the fact that some of its vehicles may suffer a sudden internal water pump failure that poses significant safety risks to drivers including sudden catastrophic engine failure, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Mark Militello filed the class action lawsuit against Ford Motor Company Oct. 5 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of state consumer laws.
Militello alleges that, from 2007 through at least 2020, Ford has incorporated the Cyclone Engine—containing a faulty internal water pump—into thousands of vehicles.
He says the internal water pumps installed within the engines of the vehicles should last for the useful life of the engines without the need for any service, maintenance, or repair.
However, despite knowing for more than a decade that its vehicles incorporating the “Duratec engine” contain a defect in design that can cause the internal water pump to prematurely fail well before the end of the useful life of the engine, Ford continued to sell them and not cover the issue under warranty, the lawsuit alleges.
The issue can lead to a “costly replacement or catastrophic engine failure due to the water pump’s placement inside the engine block,” Militello says.
“Not only does Ford represent that the water pump will not need to be serviced or maintained, but the internal location of the water pump in the engine conceals it from view and inspection when other routine service is being performed on the Class Vehicles.”
Ford created unconscionable warranties, lawsuit alleges
Customers who have vehicles with the defect are not warned that due to the relatively inaccessible location of the pump in the engine, the cost to repair or replace the defective piece is significant, even in situations where the entire engine is not destroyed, the lawsuit says.
“Ford created its unconscionable warranties, including the durational limits, to transfer this cost of repair or replacement to Plaintiff and members of the New York Class, with the knowledge that the majority of Internal Water Pump failures would occur outside of the durational limits of the warranties,” Militello says.
He’s suing on behalf of anyone in New York who purchased one of the affected vehicles from an authorized Ford dealer. Militello is suing under New York consumer protection statutes and for violations of New York General Business Law.
He’s seeking certification of the class action, damages, interest, fees, costs and a jury trial.
In February, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted class action status to a lawsuit alleging certain Ford vehicles have defective water pumps that can cause engine failure.
Do you have one of the affected Ford vehicles with an alleged water pump issue? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Samuel H. Rudman, Robert M. Rothman, Francis P. Karam, Philip T. Merenda and Mark J. Dearman of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP.
The Ford defective water pumps class action lawsuit is Mark Militello v. Ford Motor Company, Case No. 6:22-cv-06425 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.
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171 thoughts onFord class action alleges vehicles contain defective water pumps
I am also from NY. I have a 2018 ford explorer xlt with only 58,000 miles that i purchased in 2019 with 21,000 miles on it and it is now running hot and leaking coolant. Last week I replaced the coolant and drove home 2.1 miles and the coolant had completely leaked out. Im assuming it’s the water pump due to the location of the leak. I’m dreading having to hear that it is going to cost me 4k plus to get fixed
HI i have a 2013 Ford Edge that just began overheating and i have an estimate that tells me my repairs to the water pump are in the range of $3700. Is there any way i can join the law suit ?
I have a 2011 explorer that had a water pump fail and engine seized at around 75k. No help from dealer or Ford. Out of pocket $5k for short block. I now own 3 toyotas. No more domestic cars.
I purchased a 2010 Ford Edge for my wife April 27, 2023. By the end of September, the engine jumped time, and through further diagnosis it was determined that the water pump had failed causing catastrophic engine failure. Trying to get American Car Shield to replace the engine has been a nightmare and I am still making car payments on a vehicle that’s been in the shop 3 weeks now. I don’t have an extra $5,000.00 to pay for the engine to be replaced. Frustrated!!!
My 2016 Ford explorer had water pump repaired at 60000 and cost 4500 still having issues with vehicle it is running very hot.
Hello my name is Antwan Reynolds and I have a 2011 Ford edge and It runs hot all the time I changed the thermostat and did a radiator and it still runs hot as a volcano and sometimes I have heat and sometimes I don’t and my motor doesn’t sound the greatest lately no matter what I try.
Purchased a 2018 Ford Escape that, as a result of a faulty water pump, resulted in catastrophic engine failure to the vehicle while on the highway. Cost over $9000 for a new engine….
Hi I’m from Chicago and have a ford explorer vehicle bought new window car. The water pump is currently caused issuesto my vehicle and just bout it 5 yearsago. Car year 2017. I was told by other Car companies that it is too soon to be damage for 80,000 mile car that is so young. Please need advice.
Last Thursday I left my house and drove my 2011 Ford Edge Limited up the freeway about 20 minutes and I had ZERO warning lights or alarms indicating an issue. My Edge was running perfectly fine. I parked in the parking lot, went in to my destination for about one hour. I came out to my car, got inside and started it with ZERO issues. I decided to check my phone before leaving the parking lot and it was 3 to 5 minutes MAX when all of a sudden my Ford Edge just died. Once it suddenly does, that’s when it sounded the alert with the “Low Oil Pressure:” warning message showing. Again, this alarm and message DID NOT pop up until my car died. It would not start after this. So we had it towed the next morning to the shop, but they couldn’t look at it until today (Tuesday) due to the Labor Day holiday. Bad news: my engine is destroyed. It shows coolant is leaking and the engine is seized up. I had no warnings, it was running normal and so I’m going to say it’s this same problem. I’m so angry! I take care of my vehicle, it just turned 140,000.
I have a 2016 Ford Explorer Limited. Between June and Septer of 2020, I had over 7K worth mechanical work performed at a Ford Dealership here in Baton Rouge, LA. Here I am 07/2023, the SAME problems have started again included the compressor, compressor clutch and that damn water pump and the Service Department isn’t trying to budge on the warranty. This is ridiculous!!!
We have a 2016 Ford Taurus with 58k on it.. it was overheating and loosing coolant.. found out this morning this water pump failed INSIDE the damn engine! Wtf
Mines too and they’re talking over $5000 to get it fixed!!! I barely had this car for two years! Extremely pissed!