Another class action lawsuit has been filed alleging a defect in the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission systems in certain Ford models.
Allegations
Five California residents filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on September 27. They claim the defect causes harsh and erratic shifting, causing the vehicles to “jerk, lunge, clunk, hesitate, surge, or slip between gears,” or even suddenly lose power while driving. Since an automatic transmission shifts gears on its own, instead of manual shifting with a clutch, it needs to proper correctly to safely accelerate and decelerate, states the lawsuit. The alleged design and/or manufacturing defect is thus potentially life-threatening, plaintiffs claim, and Ford has refused to recall or replace the transmissions at issue.
Proposed class
The lawsuit claims Ford has acknowledged, and class members have experienced, the alleged defect in the following vehicle models:
- 2017-present model year F-150 trucks equipped with 10R80 transmissions;
- 2018-present model year Expeditions;
- 2018-present model year Mustangs;
- 2018-present model year Lincoln Navigators equipped with 10R80 transmissions;
- 2019-present model year Rangers equipped with 10R80 transmissions.
Legal Claims
The plaintiffs claim Ford is liable for breach of warranty, fraud/fraudulent concealment, negligence, and unjustment enrichment, as well as violations of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act and Unfair Competition Law. They are asking the court for remedies including damages, attorney fees, and interest.
The case is Butler v. Ford Motor Company, number 2:23-cv-08070, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Other class action lawsuits that have been filed alleging a defect in hte 10R80 10-speed transmission include:
- O’Connor v. Ford Motor Co., number 1:19-cv-05045, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in July 2019;
- McCabe v. Ford Motor Co., number 1:23-cv-10829, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in April 2023;
- Skole v. Ford Motor Co., number 1:23-cv-04130, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in June 2023.
