— A Ford 360-degree camera recall caused a class action lawsuit that was filed in Michigan, then another camera lawsuit was filed in another state, then the Michigan case was dismissed.
Ford says the process is bogus.
The original Ford class action lawsuit was filed in September 2023 in Michigan by four vehicle owners who claim the 360-degree camera systems are defective in this models.
- 2020-2023 Ford Explorer
- 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator
- 2020-2023 Lincoln Corsair
According to the class action, the camera displays may appear blue or black or experience other faults.
A Ford 360 camera recall was announced just a few weeks before the class action was filed. According to the plaintiffs, Ford allegedly knew the camera systems were defective since 2021 and issued a camera recall that does nothing to help vehicle owners.
The Ford lawsuit alleges more than 3,400 warranty claims have been filed about the camera systems in a five-year period, along with two crash reports but no injuries.
Ford 360-degree camera recalls were announced in 2021 and another camera recall was issued in September 2023.
The initial Ford 360-degree camera lawsuit was filed in Michigan, and Ford argues the camera class action should be heard in Michigan, not Illinois.
Ford 360-Degree Camera Lawsuit: Ford Wants Venue Transfer
Ford told the judge this is the second time this lawsuit has been filed, with the original class action filed in the Eastern District of Michigan (Dorfman v. Ford).
Ford says the Michigan court makes sense because one of the four named plaintiffs resides in Michigan, "Ford’s principal place of business is Michigan, the material events giving rise to the claims occurred in Michigan, the complaint asserts claims under Michigan law, and Plaintiffs seek to certify a Michigan class."
"Yet after the Michigan case was pending for a few weeks, Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed it and refiled it here. This venue makes no sense: no party resides in Illinois, the complaint asserts no claims under Illinois law, and the complaint does not seek to certify an Illinois class." — Ford
Ford says the plaintiffs are "forum shopping" because 10 days after the Michigan lawsuit was filed, a state of Washington Ford customer who is a member of the class action filed a copycat class action in Illinois (Johnson v. Ford).
Ford filed a motion to transfer the case from Illinois to Michigan so the two identical camera lawsuits could be coordinated or consolidated. But the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the Michigan lawsuit and refiled it in Illinois.
According to Ford:
"This 'evidence of forum-shopping' supports transferring this case to the district that Plaintiffs originally chose and that has the strongest relationship with the parties, the claims, the witnesses, and the evidence: the Eastern District of Michigan."
Ford has filed a "motion to stay these proceedings pending resolution of this transfer motion."
There are four named plaintiffs who initially sued, and Ford points out one customer resides in Michigan and leased his vehicle in Michigan. The three other plaintiffs reside in California or Kentucky and leased or purchased their vehicles in those states.
- Travis Corby / California / 2020 Lincoln Aviator
- Chad Hobson / Kentucky / 2020 Lincoln Aviator
- Allen Davis / Kentucky / 2020 Ford Explorer
- Neil Dorfman / Michigan / 2021 Lincoln Corsair
The Ford 360-degree camera class action lawsuit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Southern Division): Dorfman, et al., v. Ford Motor Company.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Miller Law Firm, P.C., and McCune Law Group.