Locked Out? Ford Mach-E Lawsuit Says ‘Defective’ Electronic Door Latches Useless If Vehicle’s Battery Dies

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

A proposed class action lawsuit alleges Ford has put the public at risk by equipping certain Mustang Mach-E vehicles with electronic door latches that could lock out drivers and trap passengers inside the car should it lose battery power. 

Get class action lawsuit and settlement news sent to your inbox – sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter. 

The 39-page Ford class action lawsuit relays that the fact that Ford has not provided a hard key or manual way of opening the doors of 2022-present model year Mustang Mach-E vehicles poses a significant safety risk to consumers, particularly if the all-electric car’s 12-volt battery loses power and the driver exits the vehicle in order to charge it. Notably, the Ford Mustang Mach-E does not have door handles or keyholes on the exterior of the vehicle, the filing points out. 

The complaint says the loss of power to the Mustang Mach-E “E-Latch,” which controls doors and the front hood, can result in passengers, including children or pets, effectively becoming trapped inside, especially if they are unable to or do not know that they must pull a manual lever inside the arm rest in order to release the doors. 

According to the suit, Ford Motor Company has taken no action to “prevent or rectify this material safety defect,” despite complaints from customers and “numerous instances” of small children being locked inside the Mach-E.

To open the doors of the Mustang Mach-E, a driver or passenger must press a flat button on the exterior of the door panel. When pressed, the button will pop open the door slightly, as long as the Mustang Mach-E key or a connected smartphone is present and the vehicle has power, the lawsuit says. 

Though this door-opening system is marketed to the public as “an easier way to access your vehicle,” a significant drawback is that if the vehicle loses power, the only way to get inside is to jump-start the battery using additional equipment, the case relays. The Mustang Mach-E’s 12-volt battery, which “controls the switches and contacts that engage the high voltage battery,” is found under the front hood of the vehicle underneath the luggage compartment, the suit reads. 

“Indeed, to access the front luggage compartment (where the battery is located) in the case of battery failure, drivers are required to follow a series of complicated and time-consuming steps that an average driver, without superior knowledge of vehicles and the proper equipment, may not be able to successfully complete.”

Typically, equipment needed for this procedure, such as jumper cables or a 12-volt jump box, is stored inside a vehicle, making such a scenario problematic for locked-out Mustang Mach-E drivers, the filing expands. Overall, the “tedious, multi-step process” to jump the vehicle’s battery and regain access to the inside of the car is not only not feasible for some drivers but poses a real safety risk, the lawsuit contends. 

The Ford Mustang Mach-E door latch lawsuit looks to cover all individuals in California who bought and still own, and/or lease or leased, at least one new 2022-present model year Ford Mustang Mach-E. 

Check out ClassAction.org’s free legal resources to learn how to file a class action lawsuit.