MAJOR CLASS ACTION SETTLED AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY
For Immediate Release Contact: Morrow Cater, 415-453-0430
December 16, 2005
Major Class Action Suit Settled Against Ford Motor Company
Class Members Benefit Nationwide
San Francisco, CA– The class action settlement in Chamberlan v. Ford Motor Company, providing relief to millions of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury car drivers across the country, has become final. Plaintiffs' attorneys estimate the Ford Motor Company is liable for over 100 million dollars in replacement costs of faulty plastic intake manifolds.
“This was a substantial engineering failure that rendered cars inoperable, and often caused severe and expensive damage to the engine," said Mike Ram, Co-Lead Plaintiffs' counsel of Levy, Ram & Olson LLP. "Until this settlement, those who owned or leased these cars had to bear the financial brunt of the manufacturer's mistake. Now, premature failure of the intake manifold is the carmaker's responsibility.”
Class Members who have already paid to replace the intake manifold will receive full reimbursement for costs and labor but only if they seek refund from a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury dealer by March 16, 2006. In addition, Class Members will receive a retroactive extension of the new vehicle warranty coverage on the plastic intake manifold, allowing vehicle owners to obtain a cost-free replacement if their intake manifold develops fatigue cracks and leaks coolant within seven years from the initial sale of the vehicle.
"The clock is ticking for those who have already spent the nearly $800 required to fix their cars." explained Co-Lead Plaintiffs’ Counsel Richard Dorman of Cunningham, Bounds, Crowder, Brown & Breedlove of Mobile, AL. "It is important to understand that you don’t need to have a Class Vehicle in your driveway right now to be considered a Class Member. Anyone who has owned or leased a Class Vehicle is eligible to receive benefits but they must take action now."
Plaintiffs allege that the all-plastic intake manifolds are prone to premature cracking and failure, which leads to coolant leakage. The intake manifold routes air to the engine's cylinders where an air-fuel mixture then ignites to produce combustion necessary to power the engine. Most cars have manifold crossovers made of aluminum, which typically last the car's lifetime or approximately 150-200,000 miles. Engine damage resulting from cracked manifolds can be extensive.
All persons living in the United States who own or lease (or owned or leased) the following vehicles equipped with a 4.6-liter, 2-valve engine with a plastic intake manifold may be Class Members eligible for reimbursement:
Car Model Year
Ford Crown Victoria 1996-2001
Mercury Grand Marquis 1996-2001
Lincoln Town Car 1996-2001
Mercury Cougar; Ford Thunderbird
and Mustang and Mustang 1997 (build date after 6/24/97)
Ford Mustang 1998-2001 (some vehicles)
Ford Explorer 2002 (some vehicles)
Class Members who replaced their intake manifolds should bring their repair receipts to a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury dealer by March 16, 2006, for full reimbursement. If a Class Member does not have her receipt, she may take the vehicle to a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury dealer by March 16, 2006 for inspection to verify that the original manifold was replaced. Eligible Class members who do not have receipts will receive a reimbursement of $735.
For more information about Chamberlan v. Ford Motor Company Class Action Settlement, visit www.fordmanifoldsettlement.com.
Founded in 1997, Levy, Ram & Olson is a law firm dedicated to the protection of people's rights. The firm handles class actions for victims of consumer fraud, defective products and unfair employment practices, as well as cases involving important First Amendment rights. The firm's skilled litigation attorneys combine intelligence, experience and tenacity to build a top track record in court, winning settlements and judgments that have paid compensation to hundreds of thousands of victims of unfair and illegal practices. (www.lrolaw.com)
Cunningham, Bounds, Crowder, Brown & Breedlove, LLC was founded in 1958. The firm has expertise in national and state class action litigation involving defective products, consumer fraud, and complex litigation. The firm also continues to represent victims in traditional medical malpractice, automobile accidents, product liability, industrial accidents, maritime accidents, railroad accidents, aviation accidents, sports and recreation injuries and insurance fraud cases. The firm has recovered well in excess of one billion dollars on behalf of consumers and injured parties over the last decade. (www.cbcbb.com)
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