A lawsuit alleging Ford designed or manufactured defective water pumps in Cyclone engines has survived dismissal.
The court’s June 2021 order partially denied Ford’s third motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ third complaint. The plaintiffs own Edges, Tauruses, and Explorers with Cyclone engines.
As discussed in the court’s order, the water pump helps keep the engine cool. In Cyclone engines, it is inside the engine block—an internal location that makes it expensive to inspect or maintain. Historically, water pumps were located outside the engine block, so if they failed, coolant would simply leak, which would notify the driver of the leak while not contaminating other parts of the engine.
The plaintiffs allege the Cyclone water pump’s location means if it fails, it can cause “catastrophic” engine failure at a cost of up to $9,000 in repairs. And, they allege, such engine failure while the vehicle is in operation may result in a car accident. They argue their water pumps failed before the useful life of their engines, which they believe is at least 150,000 miles.
The court dismissed a number of the plaintiffs’ claims, including their implied and express warranty claims. However, several claims of fraud by omission or fraudulent concealment and violation of consumer protection law survived.
The case is Bobby Roe, et al. v. Ford Motor Co., case number 2:18-cv-12528-LJM-APP, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The Court’s order is below:
