Moreover, the case claims Ford has required owners to pay for death wobble repairs themselves should the defect manifest outside of a vehicle’s warranty period.ĭespite an inundation of complaints from consumers, auto dealers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), many of which are documented within the complaint, Ford, to date, has not recalled vehicles prone to the death wobble defect, the lawsuit says. The shaking, the suit continues, can only be controlled by a sudden and substantial reduction of speed, which adds to the danger faced by the driver, passengers and other motorists, particularly on the highway.įord, the complaint alleges, actively concealed that certain components within 2005-2019 F-250 and F-350 suspension systems are prone to failure, and has “routinely refused” to address the problem in proposed class members’ vehicles when it manifests. In a typical instance, a vehicle affected by the defect that hits a groove or bump in the road going upward of 50 mph will begin to shake violently, the lawsuit alleges. As the case tells it, the defect is linked to abnormal wear and/or loosening of the track bar bushing, damper bracket, ball joints, control arms, shocks and/or struts, which can produce a continuous shaking effect “when encountering irregularities in the roadway surface at freeway speeds.” Īccording to the lawsuit, the death wobble can lead to the loss of control of a vehicle and difficulty steering under regular driving conditions. ![]() ![]() Want to stay in the loop on class actions that matter to you? Sign up for ’s free weekly newsletter here. The attorney representing the Jimmy family Rod Montano says he'll be representing the 30 motorists to bring a class action against Ford.New to ? Read our Newswire Disclaimerįord Motor Company is on the receiving end of a proposed class action lawsuit centered on allegations that F-250 and F-350 trucks manufactured between 20 suffer from “several latent defects in their suspension and/or steering linkage systems.” The apparent defects can cause a vehicle to shake violently, which the suit refers to as the “death wobble,” and typically manifest “during and shortly after” the expiration of a truck’s limited warranty period, the 353-page case alleges. Kaveen says Ford made no effort to contact the family after his brother’s death and they have evidence that the fire started in the front of the vehicle. “I don’t see very much of a difference to what they have done over the period of December because people are taking their cars in and my biggest concern is people did this in December, and cars burnt after, so for me they should have taken these cars off the roads.” Renisha says she doesn't believe this recall is enough to protect motorists. Renisha and Kaveen Jimmy say they’re only partially satisfied about Ford's announcement to recall the vehicle. Jimmy says since his brother's death he has been trying to get answers from Ford and share relevant information with the manufacturer's investigative team, but says he's received very little co-operation. WATCH: Family of Kuga fire victim unhappy with Ford's responseĮyewitness News spoke to Reshall Jimmy's brother Kaveen last week. “While the cause of Mr Jimmy’s vehicle has not been determined, all investigating parties have ruled out an engine compartment fire.”Īttorney Rod Montano says he'll be acting on behalf of victims to bring a class action against Ford, with 31 claims submitted to the NCC to date. On Monday Ford SA CEO Jeff Nemeth explained that Jimmy's death had nothing to do with the recent problem identified with the Kugas. On Monday, Ford and the National Consumer Commission recalled the 1.6 Kuga made between December 2012 and February 2014 due to overheating issues.įord maintains that there have been no injuries, and that the 2015 case involving Jimmy was unique and unrelated. Reshall Jimmy's brother and sister held a press briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday after the car manufacturer announced it was recalling the Kuga 1.6 litre model as several vehicles have caught alight. JOHANNESBURG - The family of the man who burnt to death in his Ford Kuga in 2015 have announced they will be bringing a class-action lawsuit against the car manufacturer.
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