Lawsuit Investigation: Ford F-150 Stalling, Auto Start/Stop Issues
Last Updated on August 25, 2022
Investigation Complete
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have finished their investigation into this matter.
Check back for any potential updates. The information on this page is for reference only.
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Case Update
- August 25, 2022 – Investigation Closed
- Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have decided to close their investigation into this matter. This means they are no longer looking to speak with individuals who had problems with the start-stop functionality in their Ford F-150s. To view our open list of investigations, head on over to this page. Any additional updates regarding this investigation, should they develop, will be posted here.
The information below was posted when this page first went live and remains for reference only.
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects:
- Anyone with a 2018-2020 Ford F-150 who has experienced stalling or other problems related to the vehicle’s automatic start/stop functionality.
- What’s Going On?
- It’s believed that the Ford F-150’s auto start/stop feature, which activates when the truck is stopped, may be defective and can cause the vehicle’s engine to stall, die or completely lose power. Attorneys are investigating whether a class action lawsuit can be filed over the issue.
- How Could a Class Action Help?
- A class action lawsuit could help drivers get money back for out-of-pocket expenses or lost value and force Ford to fix any problems with the F-150 auto start/stop feature.
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org want to hear from people whose 2018-2020 Ford F-150 has experienced stalling, rough idling, loss of power or other problems related to its auto start/stop functionality.
It’s been reported that the Ford F-150’s auto start/stop feature – which is supposed to turn off the truck’s engine when stopped and turn it back on when the driver releases the brake pedal – sometimes fails to work properly and can cause the vehicle to stall, shut off or completely lose power.
Attorneys are looking into whether a defect is to blame for the stalling issue and whether a class action lawsuit can be filed against Ford. But first, they need to hear from drivers who’ve had problems with their F-150’s auto start/stop feature.
Why Does My Ford F-150 Shut Off When I Stop?
It’s believed that the stalling and shut-off issues could be caused by a potential defect in Ford F-150 vehicles equipped with the auto start/stop feature.
When working properly, the automatic start/stop feature in 2018-2020 Ford F-150 vehicles is supposed to temporarily shut off the engine when the truck is stopped and turn it back on when the driver releases the brake pedal to keep moving.
Many drivers have reported, however, that their F-150 stalls, dies, fails to restart, or starts abnormally slowly after the start/stop feature activates.
This can be especially dangerous when a driver is in the middle of traffic or stopped at a red light and their truck fails to automatically restart as expected.
F-150 drivers have also reported that their truck stalled even when they had the auto start/stop feature disabled (which must be done manually after starting the truck), and some noted that malfunction warning lights appeared on their vehicle’s dashboard.
Complaints from Ford F-150 Drivers Regarding Auto Start/Stop Issues
Below is a sampling of complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by Ford F-150 drivers (sic throughout):
While driving through parking lot, truck lost power, turned itself off, and displayed the following message: Auto startstop shift to P, then restart engine. Still had power steering, but was unable to restart the vehicle until coming to a complete stop and shifting to park.”
— 07/29/20, 2018 F-150 driver
When decelerating from driving speed, the engine shuts off at approximately 5-8 mph disabling the power steering. A message appears on the display ‘auto startstop manual restart required.’ Transmission must be shifted to N or P to restart. Vehicle shuts off at subsequent stops, while still moving, disabling power steering. Disabling the auto startstop by pushing the button on the dashboard has no effect on this happening.”
— 01/26/19, 2018 F-150 driver
My truck rough idles and shakes violently and then stalls and an error comes up in the dash telling me ‘auto startstop shift to P then restart engine’ Has happened numerous times. Truck currently has 44,xxx miles. This is extremely dangerous at any light, turning intersection, or stop sign. I have read many online threads through online forums of this happening in other f150s to no avail from owners and dealers alike.”
— 02/04/22, 2019 F-150 driver
Driving on a road and the truck abruptly shut off, displayed an error message on the screen showing ‘auto stop/start, put the vehicle in park and restart engine’ (I dont use the auto stop/start feature) this issue should be looked into asap the vehical model shutting down randomly possibly leading into a serious accident or death.”
— 09/08/20, 2019 F-150 driver
Vehicle was slowing at an intersection with foot on brake. Lifted foot off and moved to accelerator to turn right onto the main road. Engine shut off and there was no response on acceleration. Dashboard chimed and gave the warning ‘auto startstop shift to P, then restart engine.’ Managed to pull the vehicle off to the side of the road. Shifted to park, restarted engine.”
— 03/23/21, 2020 F-150 driver
How Could a Class Action Lawsuit Help?
If filed and successful, a class action lawsuit could help Ford F-150 drivers get back some of the money they spent on repairs. It could also force Ford to recall the vehicles or otherwise fix any problems with the auto start/stop feature.
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