Ford PHEV Class Action

A national class action has been commenced in Ontario against Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Company of Canada Limited (“Ford”) on behalf of all Canadian residents who owned or leased a Ford Escape PHEV, or Lincoln Corsair PHEV from model years 2020 to the present equipped with plug-in hybrid capabilities. The lawsuit is only on behalf of Canadian residents.

You can view the Notice of Action here. 

The Issue: Alleged Defects in the Vehicles’ Electric Batteries

The lawsuit alleges that class members purchased PHEVs in order to save money on gas, reduce wear and tear on their combustion engines, and help with the environment.  The price for purchasing a plug-in electric vehicle is substantially higher than for internal combustion engine or hybrid vehicles. 

The lawsuit further alleges that the PHEVs’ high voltage battery cells can cause fires, even when the vehicles are parked and switched off.  Commencing in early 2025, Ford notified owners of the class vehicles of a defect in the batteries which, according to Ford, could cause a fire.  You can read the notice on Ford’s website here, or on Transport Canada’s website here.  Ford warned owners to immediately stop plugging in the vehicles to charge in order to maintain a lower charge level on the batteries and reduce the risk of fire.

At the time of the notice, Ford was unable to repair or replace the batteries and remains unable to do so, leaving owners without the ability to recharge their vehicles by plugging them in.  This has resulted in reduced ability for the cars to function on battery power and increased wear and tear on the engine.