Ford has found itself in hot soup again as the car brand faces a lawsuit related to faults affecting thousands of its vehicles. This time, the problem is with defective intake valves, which have caused major performance issues, unplanned malfunctions, and costly consumer fixes. Vehicle owners filed the lawsuit, stating that Ford knew about the issues associated with its EcoBoost cars.
Plaintiffs Matthew Barkus of Pennsylvania, who owns a 2021 Ford F-150 with a 2.7L EcoBoost engine, Daniel Silberman of New York, and Katrina Miller filed the $5 million Ford class action complaint. According to CarBuzz, the owners claim that if they had known about the purported intake valve problem, they would not have bought their cars or would have paid less for them.
What specific issue does Ford’s EcoBoost engine have?
The main problem lies within the 2.7-litre and 3.0-litre EcoBoost engines, to be specific, the intake valves, which are made from “Silchrome Lite” material that becomes excessively hard and brittle if exposed to over-temperatures during machining. It is because of this defect that the valves suffer structural failure, which could lead to engine misfires and catastrophic engine failure.
This is a serious safety concern because there is a high possibility that the engine can fail, trigger fires and put the lives of many people in danger, and that is why it seems fair that Ford is being sued. This is not the first time Ford’s EcoBoost has gained this negative attraction. In fact, there were issues related to the cars or engines overheating, and some came under fire too. The EcoBoost is now called “EcoBoom” because of these unresolved issues.
Six Ford and Lincoln models affected
A total of vehicles manufactured between May 1 and October 31, 2021, and fitted with either the 2.7-liter EcoBoost or the larger 3.0-liter variant, were included in the issue. These vehicles included the 2022 Ford Bronco, 2021–2022 Ford F-150, Ford Explorer, Ford Edge, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Nautilus. Owner petitions led to its initial discovery in 2022 and eventually resulted in a demand for additional action from Ford.
What Ford is doing to fix this issue and where it stands legally
Ford issued an August 2024 recall after determining the EcoBoost intake valves had problems, with an estimated 1% of vehicles at risk of stalling. Ford dealers were told to inspect and test the engines and replace any that failed. Ford also announced a customer satisfaction program (24N12) that includes an intake valve warranty extension covering vehicles up to 10 years or 150,000 miles.
However, a federal judge has since dismissed the class action lawsuit, finding the plaintiffs lack standing to allege design or manufacturing defects in the EcoBoost engines. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs — whose vehicles were manufactured before May 2021 and were not included in the recall — relied on speculative and unsupported allegations that their own vehicles were defective.
Legally, the dismissal is a win for Ford for now. However, the situation has already affected the company’s reputation, as Ford has always been a trusted brand for decades, and ongoing scrutiny could reduce its market share over time.
How to determine whether Ford’s EcoBoost failures affect your car
Perhaps you are reading this article and thinking, “So, what can I do because I own a Ford?” or whatever it is running through your mind. Here are a few tips to check whether Ford’s EcoBoost failures are affecting your vehicle: Check your recall status by inserting your VIN to see if your vehicle falls under the recall list or category, and contact Ford or Lincoln customer service to get clarity and guidance.
Additionally, examine your paperwork and maintain track of any repairs and inspections. Finding out if your car is impacted by the recall will be much simpler if you have any questions for Ford or Lincoln. It is also advisable that if you hear or see any problems when driving, rush to the nearest Ford dealership and, if possible, avoid driving the car at all.
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