#USA #Ontario, California #McCune Law Group #Ford Explorers #Seatbelt Issues

McCune Law Group's Class Action Lawsuit Against Ford Motor Company

On November 17, 2025, the McCune Law Group (MLG), a prominent national law firm with a specialization in consumer litigation, class actions, and product liability, announced that it has filed a class action lawsuit against Ford Motor Company. This was initiated in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, representing current and former owners of Ford Explorer vehicles from the model years 2011 to 2019 equipped with inflatable seatbelts in the second row.

Background of the Lawsuit
The legal complaint has been filed by lead attorney Todd A. Walburg on behalf of plaintiff Jeffrey Terrell, along with others similarly situated. The lawsuit asserts that Ford did not disclose significant issues related to the seatbelt systems in these vehicles, specifically focusing on the inflatable seatbelts introduced in 2011. Allegations highlight multiple defects in the latching system, which purportedly allows the seatbelts to disengage unintentionally or to remain locked, thus triggering an airbag warning light on the dashboard, notifying drivers that the airbags are inoperative.

This defect raises severe safety concerns, putting vehicle occupants at an escalated risk of injury or worse in an event of an accident. The complaint closely examines Ford’s awareness regarding these issues through various complaints received from consumers, feedback from dealerships, reports to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and data from internal records, including pre-sale testing conducted by the company.

Ford's Response to the Issues
The lawsuit asserts that Ford has not taken effective action to remedy the issues when reported by consumers. Instead, they purportedly advised affected vehicle owners to pay for costly fixes out-of-pocket, even if their vehicles were still under warranty. This approach has been characterized by the plaintiffs as unjust, especially since they claim that had they been aware of these seatbelt issues at the time of purchase, they either would not have made the purchase or would have negotiated a significantly lower price.

The Legal Action Seeks to Address the Stakes
The current lawsuit aims to secure compensation for affected owners of the Ford Explorer models who have suffered from these defects. It also encourages anyone with first-hand experiences similar to those detailed in the lawsuit to step forward and share their stories. McCune Law Group remains committed to defending consumer rights and advocating for accountability from automakers.

Those interested in learning more about the class action or those wishing to contribute information can reach out to McCune Law Group's Public Relations department via email at [email protected] or by calling (855) 971-1146.

About McCune Law Group
With over 30 years of experience in consumer advocacy, McCune Law Group has established itself as one of the largest and most successful consumer rights firms on the West Coast. The firm maintains offices throughout California and in several other states. They specialize in auto product liability cases and have recovered over $1 billion for its clients in numerous litigations against major automakers. To find out more about their services and mission, visit mccunewright.com.