— Ford Mustang Mach-E door lock problems caused a lawsuit that alleges California customers are stuck with driving defective vehicles.
According to the class action lawsuit, 2022-2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E all-electric SUVs are equipped with electronically latched doors which use keyless entry for the passenger and driver doors.
The SUVs run on two batteries, one the main lithium-ion battery that powers most of the vehicle. But there is also a standard 12-volt battery which can die and, according to Ford, “[i]f you lose power, you will need to attach jumper cables to your vehicle and charge the battery in order to access your vehicle.”
The Ford class action lawsuit says occupants are locked out of the vehicle unless they can jump-start the vehicle to open the doors.
The plaintiffs argue the Mustang Mach-E doors are intentionally “designed to open electrically at the touch of a button, but unlike most cars with electronic door handles, the Mustang Mach-E does not have a fail-safe physical key that can be used should the battery fail; there’s no hidden physical slot to insert one.”
However, there is a lever inside the arm rest of the interior doors which will open the doors. But the lawsuit alleges a child or pet won't know how to use that lever.
Motion to Dismiss the Ford Mach-E Door Lock Lawsuit
Ford admits the Mustang Mach-E is not equipped with a physical key and keyhole because Ford designed the Mustang Mach-E with an electronic door latch system known as E-Latch.
Ford says the few customers who sued do not like the E-Latch locking system and prefer using physical keys and keyholes. But rather than buy one of the many vehicles on the market that come with physical keys and keyholes, the plaintiffs bought Mustang Mach-E SUVs.
"Now regretting their decision, they blame Ford for 'fraudulently concealing' that their vehicles lack a physical key and keyhole. But that is something Ford neither promised as a vehicle feature nor concealed from Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs’ allegations still make no sense." — Ford
The judge has already dismissed the class action but allowed the plaintiffs to modify and refile their claims. But Ford says this second amended lawsuit uses the same arguments that were previously dismissed by the judge.
According to Ford's motion to dismiss:
"Plaintiffs accuse Ford of (i) admitting to the 'defect' in public articles and owners’ manuals while also (ii) concealing the 'defect' from consumers. The public articles and manuals describe everything Plaintiffs accuse Ford of concealing. What more would Plaintiffs have Ford do?"
The automaker told the judge the plaintiffs answer that question because they admit Ford “made some partial representations about the E-Latch system.”
Yet they accuse the company of “fail[ing] to properly disclose” the natural consequence that flows from a vehicle without a physical key that loses power: "the electronic lock has no power to work, and so a consumer must buy an external power source, store it outside the vehicle, and jump start the vehicle."
However, Ford argues the plaintiffs have a problem because the Mustang Mach-E owner's manuals disclose all that information, so the plaintiffs "still do not identify anything Ford actively concealed."
According to its motion, Ford further argues the Mustang Mach-E door lock lawsuit must again be dismissed, this time forever because Ford issued a free recall for the alleged defect.
The recall is being supervised and overseen by federal safety regulators, and Ford asserts the plaintiffs never claim the recall will not make them whole. According to Ford, the plaintiffs lack standing to bring their claims based on the recall and free repairs.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E door lock lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: John Salas, et al., v. Ford Motor Company.
The plaintiffs are represented by Kazerouni Law Group, APC, and Diab Chambers LLP.