Ford Pays $19 2 Million To Settle False Advertising Allegations CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used Cars Sell My Car Shopping Tools Car Reviews Car Finder Compare Cars Best Cars Car Dealerships Used Car Reviews Car Advice Home News Ford Pays $19 2 Million To Settle False Advertising Allegations

Ford Pays $19 2 Million To Settle False Advertising Allegations

May. 26, 2022 3:13 PM ET by Gerhard Horn Industry News / 5 Comments And in doing so, it does not admit to any wrongdoing. Ford faced legal action in multiple states, but it has now settled with numerous attorney generals. The American manufacturer was given a slap on the hand for false advertisement. Ford settled the issue by handing over $19.2 million. As part of a settlement, a manufacturer does not admit any wrongdoing. It's similar to a recent settlement in which BMW paid $1.75 million for inflating sales. We all know manufacturers like to embellish a bit in their advertisements, but ads cross the line when they make unrealistic claims about towing capacity and fuel consumption. These claims came back and bit Ford in the gluteus maximus. Ford Ford Ford In the case of the 2011-2014 F-Series Super Duty, the office of the New Jersey Attorney General's investigation found Ford made deceptive and misleading claims to keep the title of best-in-class payload capacity. As soon as a competitor surpassed Ford's claimed payload capacity, it used "deceptive methodology," according to Matthew Platkin, the acting New Jersey Attorney General. To increase the payload capacity, Ford had to remove some weight from the vehicle so that it would not surpass the maximum gross weight. In short, Ford built a Super Duty without a spare wheel and tire, jack, and the typical infotainment system. This gave Ford a few additional pounds to use on the payload side, but the attorney generals allege that Ford never intended to sell a truck in this trim. It was only ever used to calculate a favorable maximum payload, used only for advertising purposes. This is not the first time Ford has been lashed for using the best-in-class claim. Ford Ford Ford Ford The second part of this case dates back to the now-defunct C-Max Hybrid. Once again, the attorney generals accused Ford of making false claims about the fuel economy of 2013 and 2014 models. Ford said that its hybrid people carrier had an advantage over competitors thanks to the claimed range and consumers not having to change their driving styles to match Ford's figures. Ford produced a series of shorts called the Hybrid Games. The attorney generals stated that these ads "deceptively implied that C-Max vehicles offered superior real-world fuel economy and driving performance, which was not the case." Ford eventually lowered the claimed fuel consumption figures and compensated owners with $550. "Misleading claims by manufacturers about their vehicles' fuel economy can result in consumers paying more than expected at the pump. Today's settlement sends the important message that we will hold accountable any vehicle manufacturer that deceives consumers about the real-world affordability of driving one of their vehicles," said Platkin in a statement.
Ford Ford Ford Ford

Join The Discussion

Show Comments (5)

Gallery

12 Photos Tags: #Ford News #Government #Industry News

Related Cars

Ford F-250 Super Duty Ford C-Max Hybrid Gerhard Horn Senior Editor Gerhard knew from a young age that he wanted to be an automotive journalist. He completely disappointed his parents by completing degrees in communication and English, as well as diplomas in graphic design and film and art appreciation. He later interned at various automotive publications, before landing a permanent position at a newspaper. He became the editor within two years, after which he landed a job as the deputy editor at a national publication, where he spent eight years traveling the world, driving, and writing. In his current role as senior editor, he writes news, reviews, scripts, and opinion pieces. When he’s not supposed to be working, you’ll probably find him working. When he’s forced to take a break, you’ll find him at the movies, or behind the wheel of a ‘92 NA Miata called Kimiko. Contact Gerhard @GrootScreenGerhard LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top