Ford To Pay $19.2 Million For Deceptive Advertising

Ford Motor Co. agrees to pay $19.2 million for misleading representations about their C-Max hybrid and their Super Duty pickup trucks.

According to a press release by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Ford Motor Co. falsely advertised the fuel economy and distance drivers could get on a full tank of gas in their 2013-2014 C-Max hybrids and the payload capacity of their 2011-2014 Super Duty pickup trucks. A multistate investigation revealed that Ford falsely claimed their C-Max hybrid would get 47 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway when in actuality, the vehicle averaged only 42 mpg/city, 37 mpg/highway, and 40 mpg/city-highway. The manufacturer has also been accused of using a fouled methodology to calculate payload capacity by omitting several standard items, such as the spare wheel, tire and jack, center flow console, and radio.

“Families across Pennsylvania are pinching pennies to afford gas right now,” said AG Shapiro. “Some may even be considering purchasing a more fuel-efficient car, and when making that purchasing decision, they rely on the information manufacturers give out about fuel economy. Ford can’t be permitted to jack up the numbers where they like in order to make their hybrid vehicle look the best. Consumers deserve to have the facts in order to make a fully informed decision.”

The settlement was negotiated by Oregon, Texas, Illinois, Maryland, Vermont, and Arizona. Attorneys General from at least forty states joined the lawsuit. Ford has agreed to pay $19.2 million, of which Pennsylvania will receive $484,782.94.

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