Ford's MyFord Touch system is unreliable and dangerous for drivers, says a class action lawsuit filed in Federal Court in California on Monday.
The Center for Defensive Driving accuses Ford of deceptive trade and consumer law violations. It claims that that the touch screen entertainment and communication system is plagued with glitches that haven't been fixed.
Installed in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models since 2011, the system was developed by Microsoft and Ford, and incorporates GPS navigation, Sirius Satellite Radio, and Bluetooth communication for mobile devices.
If it does not crash first, the touch system is meant to detect collisions and automatically contact emergency services.
During a malfunction, vital features such as navigation and climate control may stop working, the class action claims.
"Additionally, because certain crucial vehicle functions, including the defroster and the rear-view camera, are routed through and controlled by MyFord Touch, these features become inoperable when the system crashes. Thus, driving in winter becomes dangerous because the driver cannot defrost his or her windshield and other windows, and drivers are more likely to collide with other cars or pedestrians when moving in reverse because the rear-view camera fails," the complaint states.
The class claims drivers pay a premium for the factory-installed system. By some estimates, it costs $1000 as a stand-alone product.
The class claims that Ford's own technicians have said, "there is no fix."
"So rampant are the problems, Consumer Reports recommends that no consumer purchase Ford vehicles that are equipped with MyFord Touch," according to the complaint.
The class seeks actual and punitive damages, and costs.
The Center for Defensive Driving accuses Ford of deceptive trade and consumer law violations. It claims that that the touch screen entertainment and communication system is plagued with glitches that haven't been fixed.
Installed in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models since 2011, the system was developed by Microsoft and Ford, and incorporates GPS navigation, Sirius Satellite Radio, and Bluetooth communication for mobile devices.
If it does not crash first, the touch system is meant to detect collisions and automatically contact emergency services.
During a malfunction, vital features such as navigation and climate control may stop working, the class action claims.
"Additionally, because certain crucial vehicle functions, including the defroster and the rear-view camera, are routed through and controlled by MyFord Touch, these features become inoperable when the system crashes. Thus, driving in winter becomes dangerous because the driver cannot defrost his or her windshield and other windows, and drivers are more likely to collide with other cars or pedestrians when moving in reverse because the rear-view camera fails," the complaint states.
The class claims drivers pay a premium for the factory-installed system. By some estimates, it costs $1000 as a stand-alone product.
The class claims that Ford's own technicians have said, "there is no fix."
"So rampant are the problems, Consumer Reports recommends that no consumer purchase Ford vehicles that are equipped with MyFord Touch," according to the complaint.
The class seeks actual and punitive damages, and costs.
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