— A Ford CP4 fuel pump lawsuit alleges the pumps cannot handle U.S. diesel fuel specifications, something Ford allegedly knew when the trucks were first sold.
The proposed class-action lawsuit includes all 2011-present Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel trucks equipped with CP4 fuel injection pumps.
Ford has sold millions of the diesel trucks equipped with the CP4 pumps that are what the lawsuit calls "ticking time bombs" that are not compatible with American diesel fuel.
The Bosch CP4 pumps are allegedly not built to handle specifications mandated for U.S. diesel fuel for water content and lubrication. This allegedly causes the fuel pumps to run dry as air bubbles allow metal-to-metal contact. This in turn leaves metal shavings in the fuel injection systems and engines, causing the pumps to suddenly fail without warning.
According to the lawsuit, the problems start from the first time customers put gas in the tanks and causes owners to pay insane amounts of money for repairs.
Customers also claim they and others are put in danger when the trucks suddenly stop moving while driving highway speeds, leaving drivers without the ability to restart the vehicles.
When customers take the trucks to dealers for tests and repairs, the lawsuit alleges Ford blames the pump failures on fuel contamination which isn't covered under warranties. According to the plaintiffs, diesel customers may pay anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000 just to get the trucks back in working order.
Not only do consumers pay more for diesel trucks because they are allegedly expected to last 500,000 to 800,000 miles, the vehicles are also advertised as having more power and lower fuel bills. However, none of that matters when the CP4 diesel fuel pumps won't work correctly with American diesel fuel.
According to the proposed class-action, Ford knew the CP4 pumps would fail in the U.S. but chose to conceal that knowledge and shift the blame onto customers.
Ford is allegedly a member of the Truck & Engine Manufacturers Association, which in 2002 warned the lower lubricity of U.S. diesel fuel could cause sudden pump failures in fuel injection components made to European specifications.
And according to the lawsuit, Ford doesn't help customers by replacing the CP4 pumps with the same defective pumps made by Bosch.
The plaintiffs say Bosch certainly knew about the pump problems based on internal emails between Bosch, Audi and Volkswagen from 2010 regarding a pump failure in a 2010 Audi A3.
Audi asked Bosch, “[W]hy are the defects mentioned below still present after replacing the high-pressure pump and the injector? What could the [dealer] have done wrong by way of incorrect repair so that such defects are appearing?”
Bosch responded:
“In this case the complete fuel system (HPP, rail, injectors, all lines) need to be changed. . . . I assume that because of the ‘cruncher,’ the entire system is contaminated with chips, which are then pumped in circulation and can soon lead to the next failure! The rough running can be explained by the fact that a chip is already present before or in the injector and is impairing its function.”
The plaintiffs claim the Bosch CP4 pump problems are so bad that automakers sell kits to prevent damage, but Ford customers say spending $300-$400 for the parts is nothing more than a temporary solution.
Other customers allegedly replace the CP4 pumps with CP3 fuel pumps at a minimum cost of $3,000 for the parts alone, but the lawsuit alleges the vehicles won't get the fuel efficiency promised with the CP4 pumps.
According to the plaintiffs, Ford customers sometimes also choose to leave the CP4 pumps in the vehicles and then install lift pumps to assist the CP4 pumps and increase fuel pressure. However, the plaintiffs claim this method also harms fuel economy, and in all cases owners will be required to buy more fuel.
The plaintiffs claim no reasonable consumer would have purchased the diesel vehicles if Ford would have warned them about the CP4 pump problems. In addition, the plaintiffs say all affected Ford customers should be reimbursed hundreds of millions of dollars for their trouble and expenses.
The Ford 6.7L diesel CP4 fuel pump lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California - Farlow, et al., v. Ford Motor Company.
The plaintiffs are represented by Hagens Berman, Hilliard Martinez Gonzales, and Morgan & Morgan.