Ford Hybrid Owners May Seek Compensation Over Battery Fire Risk

Ford Motor Company is facing significant legal and regulatory challenges regarding battery safety across several of its hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) lines, including risks of vehicle fires and toxic gas leaks.

The company has issued recalls for thousands of vehicles globally due to defects in high-voltage batteries manufactured by Samsung. These defects have led to class action lawsuits in the United States and reports of battery thermal venting and fires in Europe.

Samsung Battery Defects and Fire Risks

A U.S. Recall involves 20,484 vehicles, specifically model year 2020-2024 Ford Escape Hybrids and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair Hybrids. Ford informed the government that approximately 1% of these recalled vehicles may be equipped with defective Samsung high-voltage batteries.

According to Ford and Samsung, the separator layer between the cell’s cathode and anode may be susceptible to damage during the manufacturing process. This damage can result in an internal short circuit.

If a short circuit occurs, the propulsion system may shut down, causing the vehicle to lose motive power. Drivers are notified via a Stop Safely Now message in the instrument cluster. While Ford states that steering, braking, and lighting remain unaffected, the battery may undergo thermal venting, which has previously caused vehicle fires and property damage.

In a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) dated February 7, Ford noted it had received three reports from Europe between April and August 2024 describing battery thermal venting.

International Impact and Compensation Claims

The battery issues extend to the Ford Kuga PHEV in the United Kingdom. Recall notice 24S79 affects 26,328 Kuga PHEV models built between 2020 and 2024.

The recall notice for Kuga owners advises them to stop charging the high-voltage battery and to use the Auto EV drive mode only to prevent potential issues. Ford engineers are developing software to remedy the condition, though some owners have reported that the company has not provided a specific date for the fix.

Some UK owners have expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s response, reporting they were offered only a £100 goodwill payment per vehicle despite being unable to use the charging features of their PHEVs.

Legal Challenges and Safety Lawsuits

In the United States, a class action lawsuit has been filed by three Ford hybrid owners alleging that the recall for the 2020-2024 Ford Escape and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring PHEVs is inadequate.

The lawsuit claims that the Samsung high-voltage lithium-ion batteries can cause fires even when the vehicles are parked and turned off.

Separate from the fire risks, Ford and several dealerships are facing a lawsuit involving a 2015 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The suit alleges that a man died in Dothan, Alabama, on August 8, 2023, after breathing in toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.

The lawsuit claims that an unattached vent tube allowed the toxic gas to build up in the cabin. The family of the deceased, Abimael Feliciano, alleges the vehicle lacked sufficient protection from the gas and that dealerships failed to maintain the vehicle properly.

Vehicle Specifications Affected

The vehicles involved in the current fire-risk recalls include:

• Ford Escape Hybrid: 2020-2024 models (Estimated 37 miles battery-only range; 520 miles total).
• Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring Hybrid: 2021-2024 models (Estimated 28 miles battery-only range; 430 miles total).
• Ford Kuga PHEV: 2020-2024 models (UK market).