In a gripping legal battle that could impact consumer rights and corporate accountability, a Louisiana resident has taken on an automotive giant over alleged defects in a newly purchased vehicle. Matthew Tyler filed a complaint against Ford Motor Company in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana on April 3, 2025. The lawsuit accuses Ford of failing to address significant defects in a 2024 Ford F-150 truck that pose serious safety risks.
The case centers around Tyler's purchase of a new 2024 Ford F-150 from Robinson Brothers Ford Lincoln, LLC in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 30, 2024. According to the complaint, Tyler paid approximately $90,000 for the vehicle after financing charges and taxes. Soon after purchase, Tyler began experiencing severe issues with the truck's steering mechanism. The complaint details multiple instances where the steering locked up without warning while driving, rendering the vehicle uncontrollable and endangering Tyler's safety.
Despite several attempts to have the vehicle repaired at authorized dealerships—Robinson Brothers and All Star Automotive Group—the problem persisted. Service technicians repeatedly failed to identify or fix the defect during visits spanning from September 2024 to February 2025. On January 17, 2025, Ford issued a recall for certain F-150 models due to mismatched steering components causing similar issues; however, Tyler's vehicle was not included in this recall.
Tyler alleges that these defects violate both state and federal laws designed to protect consumers from faulty products. The lawsuit cites breaches of implied warranties under Louisiana Redhibition Laws and violations of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act—a federal statute governing consumer product warranties. According to Tyler’s attorney Drew Nordgren of The Nordgren Law Firm, LLC., "No reasonable buyer would have purchased the Vehicle had they known of the defects before sale."
The plaintiff seeks rescission of the sales contract along with restitution for all associated costs such as finance charges and insurance premiums. Additionally, Tyler is pursuing damages exceeding $100,000 for economic losses suffered due to being deprived of reliable transportation and incurring repair expenses.
Ford Motor Company faces accusations that its conduct constitutes a breach of both express and implied warranties under applicable laws. If successful in court proceedings overseen by Judge John W DeGravelles (Case ID: 3:25-cv-00276-JWD-SDJ), Matthew Tyler stands poised not only to secure personal redress but also potentially set precedent reinforcing consumer protections against defective goods.
This high-stakes litigation underscores ongoing tensions between consumers seeking justice through legal avenues when confronted with defective products versus corporations navigating complex regulatory landscapes surrounding warranty obligations.