In a recent class action lawsuit, a plaintiff has taken legal action against two major companies over alleged defects in vehicle batteries that have led to significant consumer issues. Erika Ortega filed the complaint on March 19, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Ford Motor Company and Camel Group (USA) Battery, Inc. The lawsuit claims that both companies failed to meet their obligations regarding the safety and functionality of their products.
The case centers around vehicles equipped with 12-volt batteries manufactured by Camel Group that were installed in certain Ford models, specifically the 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles. These batteries are alleged to have an internal weld and cast-on-strap defect that can lead to sudden power loss and stalling. In January 2025, Ford recalled nearly 273,000 affected vehicles due to these issues but provided only a software fix rather than replacing the defective batteries. Ortega argues this solution is inadequate and leaves consumers with diminished vehicle value and ongoing safety concerns.
Ortega's lawsuit accuses Ford and Camel Battery of fraudulent omission by failing to disclose known defects while promoting their products as safe and reliable. The complaint outlines several causes of action including breach of implied warranty of merchantability, violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, negligent design defect, fraud by omission/concealment, unjust enrichment, negligence, and violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act. The plaintiff seeks damages for economic losses suffered by consumers who purchased these defective vehicles.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Kevin Laukaitis from Laukaitis Law LLC and Mason A. Barney from Siri & Glimstad LLP. The case ID is 1:25-cv-02920.