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Judge approves Ford Explorer rollover settlement

Judge approves Ford Explorer rollover settlement

Viknesh Vijayenthiran April 16th, 2008 Viknesh Vijayenthiran By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Author April 16th, 2008
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December 31st, 1969 Ever since a string of fatal rollovers during the 1990s, the Ford Explorer SUV has had a stigma of being dangerous despite the reason behind the accidents – poorly designed Firestone tires – being resolved. A California judge has now approved the settlement for a class-action case that will compensate roughly 800,000 Ford Explorer owners who claim their vehicles had lost value because of the original controversy. The decision also brings an end to the lawsuit filed against Ford in the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois and Texas. The lawsuit argued that Explorer SUVs lost about $1,000 in resale because of a perceived rollover danger. Under the settlement, owners who bought their Explorers between 1991 and 2001 are entitled to a $500 coupon towards purchasing a brand new explorer or a $300 coupon to buy any other Ford, Mercury or Lincoln product. Explorer owners are unhappy with the decision claiming few of them will be able to take advantage of the coupons due to poor economic conditions and high fuel prices. The total bill for Ford is expected to top $50 million but of this lawyers are expected to walk away with more than $25 million, reports the Associated Press. The class action lawsuit is separate from the numerous death and personal-injury lawsuits involving the Ford Explorer that continue to be argued in North American courts.
Judge approves Ford Explorer rollover settlement

Judge approves Ford Explorer rollover settlement

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Ever since a string of fatal rollovers during the 1990s, the Ford Explorer SUV has had a stigma of being dangerous despite the reason behind the accidents – poorly designed Firestone tires – being resolved. A California judge has now approved the settlement for a class-action case that will compensate roughly 800,000 Ford Explorer owners who claim their vehicles had lost value because of the original controversy. The decision also brings an end to the lawsuit filed against Ford in the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois and Texas.

The lawsuit argued that Explorer SUVs lost about $1,000 in resale because of a perceived rollover danger. Under the settlement, owners who bought their Explorers between 1991 and 2001 are entitled to a $500 coupon towards purchasing a brand new explorer or a $300 coupon to buy any other Ford, Mercury or Lincoln product.

Explorer owners are unhappy with the decision claiming few of them will be able to take advantage of the coupons due to poor economic conditions and high fuel prices. The total bill for Ford is expected to top $50 million but of this lawyers are expected to walk away with more than $25 million, reports the Associated Press.

The class action lawsuit is separate from the numerous death and personal-injury lawsuits involving the Ford Explorer that continue to be argued in North American courts.

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Posted in: 2008, Ford, News, SUVs, Explorer


Comments (7 total)

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  1. By chris #1, Posted: 4/16/2008

    this whole topic just disgusts me. if you drive any SUV down an interstate in poorly inflated tires on a 100 degree day with 7 people in a vehicle designed for 5, and none of them are wearing seat belts, you deserve to die, and ford should be payed money by the government for eliminating such retards. I have heard of a few legitimate cases where none of the above were applicable, but this whole thing just wreaks of the fact that people dont know how to take care of their cars, take care of themselves, and buckle up.

    that one case there where volvo was found guilty of man slaughter is another example. so now any time a volvo is related to a fatality, will volvo be found guilty? cause thats what happened with this whole firestone deal. a couple legitimate cases and then every tom, penis, and pubic hair came out of friggen wood work and every moron judge in the world just went along with it.

    people settling for 8 and 9 figure lawsuits because they just happened to be in an explorer when they were paralized and their coked out husband who wasnt wearing his seat belt died with their new born baby in his arms when the stupid thing rolled over on the interstate because you spilled your damned Double Gulp.

    Excuse me while I go throw up.

  2. By mark #2, Posted: 4/16/2008

    Americans just love to sue dont they.

  3. By chris #3, Posted: 4/16/2008

    its the modern american dream. why work for a living and retire rich and live easy when you could do something stupid and get a nice fat cheque today? "all I had to do was spill coffee on my face and get permanently scarred". or "all i had to do was walk on that patch of ice, slip, fall, and paralyze myself. I always hated scrubbing myself in the shower anyways".

    and no its not just americans, lets not generalize. we've got our fair share of it in canada. to a lesser extent it seems. some woman sued because she got burned from the coffee at a tim hortons. but aparently the coffee was something like 140 degrees or something rediculous.

  4. By Gus #4, Posted: 4/16/2008

    Americans love to sue because it's free.
    Lwayers here work on commission, that is they take a percentage, and don't charge if they don't win, so why not sue? You have nothing to lose? It's disgusting.
    If you have money, and you're not divested into LLC's and protected by multiple insurance policies and umbrella coverages, you are a fool who will be sucked dry by the first person you have any sort of accident with...

  5. By 94 Taurus owner #5, Posted: 4/16/2008

    HMMM does this apply in VA because I own a 98 sport and may be in the market for a new ford.

  6. By Paul #6, Posted: 4/16/2008

    It's not free. There is plenty of wasted time and effort for the courts in these ridiculus lawsuits. You and I are paying for it, or at least contributing to the system that everyone hopes will pay for their stupidity.

  7. By Wizards Lore #7, Posted: 4/17/2008

    Have you guys in the states got the Ford Territory ? Sort of the size of the Toyota Highlander/Kluger...would be the kind of SUV that you need to get rid of the explorer tag as it has been tarnished.. time to start again !

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