Broken Pony: Class Action Lawsuit Targets Ford Mach-E Design Flaw

Ford is facing a new class action lawsuit over what’s being called a design flaw in the Mach-E all-electric crossover. We know you might be hoping this is all about that problematic pony badge on the grocery getter or the taillights confusing people. Instead, it has to do with the way owners can get into the cabin.

One social media post about muscle cars and Boomers touches off a huge debate.

More specifically, the class action suit focuses on E-latch or electronically latched doors. Just like in other EVs, the Mach-E doesn’t have a traditional keyhole in the event the battery fails or is completely drained.

That design has in turn lead to instances where children have been trapped inside the Ford electric vehicle. We’ve seen at least one case like this involving a Tesla. Usually, what ends up happening is someone, likely first responders, break a window and rescue the child that way.

Inside EVs there’s usually a mechanical latch or handle that’s hidden out of view which you can actuate to get out of the interior if the battery fails or is drained. But little kids can’t do that on their own.

In traditional vehicles with keyless entry, there’s usually a traditional blade key hidden in the fob. In the event the key fob’s battery dies, owners can use the blade key to manually unlock the doors. This class action lawsuit might result in Ford and potentially other automakers adding something like that to their EVs.

These sorts of court cases, this one having been filed in California, can take years to play out. We’d expect Ford will settle this matter out of court. But the plaintiffs are asking for a jury trial. Considering how much Ford was forced to pay out in a Georgia court recently, that could spell big bucks.  

Image via Ford