Ford agrees to settle ‘rollover’ suit
US auto giant Ford Motor Co said Wednesday it had reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit lodged by people claiming the company’s popular Explorer vehicle was prone to rollovers.
A spokeswoman for Ford refused to give details of the settlement in an emailed statement to AFP, saying more information would be revealed when the deal is presented before a judge in Sacramento on Monday.
“For the reasons that will be presented in court on Monday, we believe this settlement is fair and reasonable and is in the best interests of our customers and our shareholders,” the spokeswoman said.
Around one million people in four states — California, Connecticut, Illinois and Texas — had filed suit asserting that Explorers made between 1991 and 2001 were liable to rollover.
Ford has battled a wave of wrongful death and injury lawsuits following accidents involving older models of the Explorer, regarded as Ford’s flagship sports utility vehicle.
A federal investigation was launched in 2000 following concerns about the Bridgestone/Firestone tires fitted on the vehicle, leading to a legal feud between Ford and the tire manufacturer.
In 2005 Bridgestone Firestone agreed to pay 240 million dollars to Ford to settle liability over the recall of defective tires in 2000 and 2001 linked to numerous deaths.