Lawsuit Filed Against Ford for Fla. F-150 Fire

The law firms of Dale R. Sisco, P.A. and the Peacock Law Firm, P.A., both of Tampa, Florida, filed a class action lawsuit Friday in Pinellas County, Florida against the Ford Motor Company.

The lawsuit results from a fire that destroyed a Ford F-150 pick-up
truck. The lawsuit alleges that the fire was caused by a defect in the cruise control switch. This switch was the subject of a recall by Ford on Jan. 27, 2005.

The vehicle, owned by the plaintiffs Mike and Marla Iley, was destroyed by a fire on Jan. 22, 2003. The fire reportedly began at 4:15 a.m. while their vehicle was parked, with the ignition off, in front of their residence in Largo, Florida.

They were awakened from sleep by their neighbors who saw the fire in
front of the house. The intensity of the fire was reportedly so great that it also caused damage to their home as well as another vehicle, which was parked in their driveway.

The plaintiffs reportedly made repeated attempts to contact the Ford Motor Company concerning their loss. Although Ford was reportedly aware of the dangerous problem as indicated by the recall, they reportedly failed to address the Iley’s claims.

According to Sisco, “This defect is a serious issue because this recall
affects hundreds of thousands of vehicles. The majority of these vehicles are still in use and are each potential mobile time bombs.”

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $15,000 and equitable relief. The lawsuit was filed in case number 05-3311-CI-11 on behalf of the plaintiffs and all other persons and entities who purchased model year 2000, Ford F-150 pick-up trucks, Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators.