Two California men have filed a lawsuit against Ford Motor Company, claiming that the company’s design defect in the electronically latching doors of its electric vehicles puts children and pets at severe risk of being trapped inside. The lawsuit alleges that Ford has known about this issue for years but has refused to take action.
The complaint was filed on February 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and it claims that Ford’s Mach-E electric vehicle has an unfixable design defect that prevents the doors from opening from the outside when the battery fails. The plaintiffs argue that this defect poses a significant risk to passengers, particularly young children and pets.
The lawsuit also cites previous recalls of the Mach-E due to similar issues with the high-voltage battery contactors, which can overheat and cause an immediate loss of power.
Ford has been marketed as a safe and reliable electric vehicle, but the plaintiffs claim that this is not the case. They are seeking actual, compensatory, statutory, and liquidated damages on behalf of themselves and others similarly situated.
The lawsuit comes after numerous instances of children being locked inside Class Vehicles due to battery failures. The plaintiffs argue that Ford has a responsibility to address this issue and provide a safe design for its vehicles.
Source: https://www.aboutlawsuits.com/ford-electric-mustangs-trap-occupants-electronic-doors