Ford Diesel Fuel Pump Lawsuits

A class action lawsuit has been filed alleging that the fuel injection pump in certain Ford F-Series vehicles is “incompatible” with American diesel fuel and can destroy both the fuel injection system and the engine.

Drivers have spent anywhere between $8,000 to $20,000 to fix their cars and are now looking to get their money back.

What’s the Problem with the Fuel Pump?

American diesel fuel is different than European diesel. For instance, American diesel is “cleaner” and “thinner,” which means that it provides less lubrication than European fuel.

Instead of designing or choosing a new pump fit for American diesel fuel, Ford decided instead to use the same pump – Bosch’s CP4 fuel injection pump. Unfortunately, the CP4 pump is not compatible with American diesel fuel, something that was “no secret” to Ford, the case says.  

The lawsuit claims that the Bosch CP4 fuel injection pump is not built to withstand American diesel fuel and struggles to “lift” enough of it to lubricate itself. As a result, the pump is forced to run dry and “destroys itself” as air bubbles form and allow metal to rub against metal. The pump, according to the suit, “secretly deposits” metal shavings throughout the fuel injection system and engine until they “suddenly and cataclysmically [fail] without warning, further contaminating the fuel delivery system with larger pieces of metal.” Ford achieved the greater fuel efficiency it was looking for, the suit says, but at the expense of running the pump dry.  

What Issues Have Drivers Reported with the Ford F-Series Trucks?

Several Ford customers have complained that their trucks shut off while they were driving and that they weren’t able to restart them. Below are specific complaints from drivers who posted about the problem online [sic throughout]:

I have a 2013 Ford f-350 Dually with 105,000 miles. It has been extremely well maintained as this is my living. I was driving back home pulling an empty 32' gooseneck, when I heard a pop and then the truck started shaking, with the reduced power warning coming on. The truck suddenly went dead and it was all I could do to get to the side of the road and out of traffic. I had it towed to the town's local Ford dealer, where I was informed that the HPFP had exploded and the metal had gone through the entire fuel system. The price tag is $8,000.00. This seems to be the norm on Ford's and I think that there should be a class action suit filed, for a known faulty fuel system.”
— Terry of Tyler, TX, ConsumerAffairs.com

Ford 350 & 450 Diesel injection pumps and turbo problems - I am having trouble with four (4) Ford power stroke engines, mainly the fuel injection pumps and turbos. I have each of the four 2017s in the shops and three at the same time with injection and turbo problems. Ford Motor refuses to honor the 100,000 mile warranty. One truck has been in the shop over two months and another nearly two weeks…This is a breach of warranty and it appears we will need to seek litigation to resolve this issue. This is also going to be costly and we have no guarantee that we will be awarded any legal costs in the end. Ford needs to step up to the plate and honor their warranty. I wonder how many other Ford Owners are having the same problem?”
— Lynn of San Antonio, TX, ConsumerAffairs.com

I have a 2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty with the 6.7L diesel. It has been dealership maintained and since new. It has been garage kept and only pulls a 5th wheel 4-5 times per year. It just rolled over 100k miles this year. At 103k miles the high pressure fuel pump went bad. This is a known problem and has a kit for the repair. It cost $8,500 for the repair. After I had the vehicle back 2 months it is now has 105k and is in the shop because the #3 cylinder is damaged and requires a rebuild (short block). This is going to cost $14,500. A total of $23,000 this year in maintenance cost. The dealership will not assist in cost. I wrote a letter to Ford customer care. If they do not assist, I will never purchase another Ford product. I will share my experience with all my friends as well. A diesel engine should operate at least 200k to 300k without this type of problems.”
— Alan of Sharpsburg, GA, ConsumerAffairs.com

Ford is said to be blaming the issue on drivers’ use of contaminated or substandard fuel, and therefore refuses cover the problem under its warranties.

Even when drivers pay up to $20,000 to have their trucks fixed, the problem will persist so long as the vehicles continue to be filled with American diesel fuel, the suit says.

How a Class Action Can Help

A class action lawsuit, if successful, could help drivers get back some of the money they spent on repairs. It could also force Ford to fix the problem and alert all affected drivers to the issue.

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