Ford Focus Unexpected Stalling

Were you injured in a car accident in Florida when your Ford Focus stalled without warning? Florida product liability attorney Jason Turchin may be able to help. At the Law Offices of Jason Turchin, our products liability attorneys have the skill and experience you need to represent you in your Florida defective auto parts claim. Call us today at (800) 337-7755 to get started or to see if you have a claim for compensation if you were injured in a crash as a result of your Ford Focus stalling.

While we drive nearly every day, we trust that vehicle manufacturers take the necessary precautions to provide us with safe vehicles. What we don’t anticipate and frankly should never have to worry about is that our car will suddenly stop working and stall in the middle of the road.

More than 1.2 million Ford Focus owners are now face to face with this terrifying risk.

What Can Cause my Ford Focus to Stall?

Ford Motor Company issued a recall in December 2018, which notified owners of the Ford Focus 2012-2018 of a defect that causes the engine to stall. Ford stated in its recall notice to car dealers that:

“In some of the affected vehicles, the engine may stall due to a stuck canister purge valve (CPV) within the fuel vapor system. A stuck CPV can lead to excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor system, causing the plastic fuel tank to deform, resulting in an inaccurate or erratic fuel gauge indication, inaccurate distance to empty (DTE), and/or other driveability concerns.”

In other words, a malfunction that causes excessive vacuum can result in the engine stalling without warning or ability to restart the engine while driving. This manufacturing defect can increase the risk of a serious car crash. Collisions with a stopped vehicle can be serious and sometimes deadly for occupants of both vehicles involved in the crash. Injuries may include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Head trauma
• Blunt force trauma to the head, chest, and abdomen
• Spinal cord injury
• Fractures and broken bones
• Lacerations
• Internal bleeding
• Death

Can Ford Be Held Liable For My Injuries?

If you get hurt in a car accident that would not have occurred if not for the careless assembly of the vehicle, which results in a manufacturing defect that affects the engine’s ability to run properly, then Ford may be liable to you for your injuries.

If you suffered an actual injury; and that the defect was the proximate cause of your injury; and that you were using the vehicle as per its intended use; then you may be entitled to compensation. Generally, we need to show that Ford knew or should have known about the defect, or failed to repair, remove, or adequately warn consumers about the defective canister purge valve.

We seek to prove liability under a few theories under Florida product liability law:

• Strict Liability If your injuries were caused by the defective canister purge valve, the vehicle was unsafe and you may be entitled to compensation.
• Negligence If Ford breached its duty of care to you as the consumer by failing to exercise reasonable care during the assembly of the engine, then Ford may have to pay you compensation for injuries.
• Breach of Implied Warranty Generally, the driver has a reasonable expectation that the engine should function properly and that the car would drive normally without suddenly stalling with no prior warning. A reasonable person would not buy a car if he or she had any expectation that the engine would stop working at any given moment.

Florida Ford Car Defect Lawyers

If you were hurt in a car accident in Florida that could have been prevented had your Ford Focus not stalled, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. The Florida products liability lawyers at the Law Offices of Jason Turchin has represented many victims who were involved in accidents caused by automotive defects. To find out how we can help you with your claim, call us today at (800) 337-7755 for your free consultation.

Products Liability – Automotive Defects – Recall Acknowledgment – Safety Recall Report