Judge Rejects Class-Action Lawsuit over Ford Lug Nuts
A U.S. district judge in Michigan has dismissed a lawsuit filed two years ago that claimed millions of wheel lug nuts used by Ford were defective.
#legal
A U.S. district judge in Michigan has dismissed a lawsuit filed two years ago that claimed millions of wheel lug nuts used by Ford were defective.
The plaintiffs complained that laminated nuts used for years by Ford to attach the wheels to its Focus and Fusion sedans, Escape and Flex SUVs and F-Series pickup trucks. The lawsuit claimed the nuts could deteriorate, making them almost impossible to remove without special service tools.
The Ford nuts consist of a threaded steel core covered by a cap of aluminum, stainless steel or chrome. The lawsuit claimed the cap could separate from the core and become distorted enough not to fit the vehicle’s tire iron or any other conventional wrench.
The case sought class-action status on behalf of plaintiffs in 27 states. But Judge Stephen Murphy ruled that the plaintiffs lacked sufficient facts to justify claims of breach of warranty, state-level fraud or violation of consumer protection laws.
RELATED CONTENT
-
U.S. Charges Five More VW Execs in Diesel Cheating Scandal
U.S. prosecutors have charged five more current or former Volkswagen AG executives in connection with the carmaker’s diesel emission cheating scandal.
-
Four Auto Companies Rank Among the World's Most Ethical
GM and Cooper Standard make the list for the first time, joining long-running honorees Aptiv and Cummins
-
VW Asks to Delay U.S. Diesel Emission Trials Over Hitler Reference
Volkswagen AG has asked a judge to delay several U.S. lawsuits involving rigged diesel emission controls because a lawyer representing hundreds of VW customers made “inflammatory” comments about the company.