Lawsuits between consumers and carmakers are becoming a common occurrence, with some companies under more hot water than others. Ford has been a source of allegations and controversy in recent years. From faulty vehicles to misrepresenting information, the automaker is finding itself at the center of more than one accusation. Most recently, Ford has agreed to settle one lawsuit out of court to the tune of $17 million.

Ford settles its latest lawsuit

According to AutoBlog, after years of owner complaints regarding MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch infotainment systems, “disgruntled motorists” filed a class-action lawsuit. Recent information reveals that Ford will set aside $17 million to settle the issue out of court by agreeing to compensate owners and drivers for complaints.

The lawsuit was filed from Ford vehicle owners equipped with the earlier version of the MyFord Touch infotainment systems, which had “alleged shortcomings,” like the inability to connect cell phones, get to a destination, or respond to voice commands. The complaints state that the infotainment systems froze or crashed. They were also left without features they bought at premium prices. These complaints began in the early 2010s. Ford even tried to teach dealers how to train owners on the software.

Ford still stands behind its infotainment systems, but it agreed to settle out of court and provide software updates to all eligible vehicles in addition to the compensation. After receiving fair amounts of customer complaints about the MyFord system in the 2010s, Ford went back to the drawing board to create its latest infotainment system in 2017, Sync 3. 

Who’s eligible for the settlement?

The class-action lawsuit involves owners and lessees of Ford vehicles between the model years of 2010 and 2013 — more than 360,000 people. According to MyFord Class Action Settlement, only vehicles purchased from an authorized dealer before August 9, 2013 are eligible for compensation. And only those who live in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington are able to file a claim.

The amount owners receive depends on the number of times the vehicle was taken in to be fixed for infotainment problems. As USA Today reports, people who had a MyFord or MyLincoln system fixed once can receive a $100 claim. Those who brought a vehicle in twice can receive $250, and people with three or more visits can get $400.

Even owners who just don’t like the system can receive compensation of up to $45. Current or former owners must submit a claim by September 24, 2019.

Ford’s other class-action lawsuits

Ford is currently under hot water for other things, like a class-action lawsuit that alleges “Ford Motor Co. misrepresented the fuel economy of its pickup trucks and deceptively advertised the trucks’ fuel efficiency,” according to Detroit News.

The $1.2-billion lawsuit alleges that Ford committed fuel economy fraud. The Department of Justice announcing they’ve opened a criminal investigation into the company’s emissions certification processes.

Another lawsuit was filed earlier in 2019. More than 1.9 million unhappy Ford Focus and Fiesta customers stating the automaker purposely unloaded vehicles with faulty transmissions, reports the Detroit Free Press. Although Ford is one of the largest automakers on the planet, how many more lawsuits can the company take?