Comments: 1-15, 16-17
The air suspension went out requiring replacement. The air suspension was replaced with the steel coil kit. It is far superior to the air suspension even when the car was new.
The plastic intake manifold cracked requiring an expensive repair job that cost $1,400.00. I have since filed charges against Ford Motor Company with the Texas State Attorney Generals Office and joined a class action lawsuit.
The car rides very comfortably with the new steel coil suspension I had installed.
Very good fuel mileage for a car of this size and power.
Acceleration is good, but I would prefer about 40 more horsepower.
The leather is still is supple condition after 129,000 miles and the car still looks showroom new.
So where do I get in on this class-action lawsuit against FOMOCO about the cracking intake manifolds?
I am a Texas resident and I have not been able to locate any class action suits against Ford Motor Company regarding the cracking intake manifold issue. There is one suit pending in California and one in Mobile County, Alabama. If anyone has any information about how to join an existing class action suit in Texas against Ford Motor Company please provide us all with the attorney's contact information.
I am also looking for a class action suit. My 97 lost its manifold July 13. Ford is not interested. I did find some information on a manifold thing on www.town-hall.edmunds.com/direct/view by Robert Lane dated June 18, 05 Read it. Manifold stuff is all over that web. Lawsuit in Dearborn, MI. Ford lost. Ford appealed. Ford lost. Maybe, this could help all of us with this manifold problem. Also check www. BlueOval News.com GOOD LUCK!!
I just got a notice today about a class action suit for the intake. It came from Chamberlan v. Ford Administrator c/o Rosenthal & Co. LLc PO Box 6177 Novato, CA 94948 Visit the website www.FordManifoldSettlement.com or call 1-888-826-3047. I have a whole paper about this suit. I can send you more information from this paper I received. Email me at alittlebitmish@hotmail.com.
You paid way to much for your manifold repair. Ours was fixed for less than $600.
Yes there was a settlement against ford for this manifolds, but it is still be debated as to what the final settlement will be.
Having just applied (12/20/05) for a refund on my manifold replacement, and having been denied by Ford because of the limited 7 year warranty extension, I wonder if there is a way of getting a refund some other way. If you know of such, please return a message to hughmart3@bellsouth.net.
I have a 96 towncar, it has had the manifold replaced (at my expense) the whole issue was handled very poorly, but I have driven it several thousand miles since then. I just returned from driving about 900 miles round trip and while in Missouri I met a fellow that had just received his class action payment on two towncars. I intend to contact my local dealer for my payment on Jan. 2, 2006. I have receipts for manifold and related items, gaskets etc. but paid a local racer to install because I was too busy, and so were the reputable shops in the area. My new manifold has been on about 1 1/2 years now. An aftermarket manifold came available about two weeks later, for about half as much, (I think $298.00) I paid over $600.00 for the manifold alone. I am not sure that you can be turned down for reimbursement, If you own a 1996 to 2000 towncar with a 4.6, and it has been fitted with a replacement manifold, then you are in, (obviously if they replaced the manifold, or someone else has been reimbursed, they won't pay a second time). Wish me luck!, I have a couple of attorneys posted to my favorites that handled the lawsuit in various states, I'll have to go to my mail archives to get their web address. My E-mail is Lindermark@mchsi.com it may take a little wait for me to get back to you, but I will. I was very salty about the way my dealer and ford treated me, but it has been a while, I have calmed down. George in Illinois.
The manifold issue, "FORD MUST PAY". Don't let your local dealer turn you away. Become their best pest! After all, the local dealer is not the one paying for it, Ford is. Mine was paid for, including the labor, the tow and my rent-a-car. I was a REAL PEST. It took some doing, but I got it done. There are class action suits all over the net. JUMP ON ONE! Good Luck.
WARNING ABOUT CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS & ATTORNEYS.
In the future, some swell will be famous for an adage about our time that will go something like: "In early 21st Century America, attorneys were so out of control as a group, it was wise for people on both sides of a dispute to try to avoid resorting to them" and "In..., it was true that in any lawsuit the lawyers always won, all of them"
Individuals always have the right to opt out of Class Action Suits. It may be wise for damaged persons to research their situation carefully and consider opting out. Today, it is outrageously too common for plaintiffs in class action suits to get next to nothing, while the attorneys walk away with a fortune.
Consider taking the proper steps in any consumer complaint. Go through proper action channels yourself with thoughts of an attorney coming very last. Speak to your dealer Service Department about formally appealing to the Ford Representative for expense relief and go from there. Visit the website of Consumer Activist-talk show host Clark Howard (clarkhoward.com). Listen to his daily show and call him for advice as to the proper action to take. You can do some fun things, without an attorney, with your local small claims court. A $1,000 auto repair fits within the state guidelines of small claims in any state I know of.
I can almost guarantee you one thing: it is highly unlikely you will get any relief by resorting to any class action suit, especially one out of Texas, California, or Michigan, states famous among attorneys and civil courts for being lawsuit capitals of America.
Consider this. Over the past 30 years, the US Senate and US Congress and nearly all state Houses of Representatives have consisted of over 50% attorneys at any given time. Does this fact shed any light for you on why frivolous law suits are out of control?
You could say that Lawyers are the most represented people in America & Insurance companies are second most represented.
What state does not require, by penalty of law, that all drivers have private auto insurance? Not a bad deal for lawyers and insurance companies, eh?
--Bruised Quasar.
You will see that I left a comment on Jan. 1 2006, a lot of time has passed since then. My car was a program car, put in service directly after it was built, by ford as a rep.'s car, so the inservice date made it ineligible, under their agreement. It seems to me that Ford was clever enough to settle on a date of a seven year extension, and then drag the actual verdict out with appeals until many of the cars with legitimate claims were beyond the extension date. the window for submitting the claims was also relatively tight, and the lack of public knowledge of the final verdict and "qualifiers" took maybe half of the eligible claimants out of the game. in effect this "victory" for the consumers was a back-handed slap in the face. George in Illinois lindermark@mchsi.com or duicenter@insightbb.com.
I too would be interested in recovering my $1000 plus for a replacement leaky intake manifold om my 1997 lincoln town car with 82,000 miles, 4.6 engine when ford motor company knew these plastic manifolds had a great potential for failure.
December 6, 2007.
I own a 1998 Lincoln Town Car with 117,000 miles on it. I just paid $900 to repair a cracked intake manifold. I see that the deadline for the Manifold Suit was back in 2006. How can I get in on this? Do I pester the Lincoln Dealer with my receipts? joann.martin@agrecol.com (Wisconsin)
My 97 lincoln towncar is in the shop today, and I am being told the manifold is cracked!! Now that I have read about the lawsuit - I am quite irritated that I was never made aware of the problem with the manifolds (even though I visited the dealer for various reasons during the time of the lawsuit). Since I don't drive often, my car just now has 82,000 miles on it and now I am being told that I will owe $900.00 for this repair. I have read that the deadline has passed, but am wondering if anyone has had any luck being reimbursed after the deadline and if so, then how. Please respond to bppaintitall@comcast.net. Thanks, Charlotte in Houston.
I bought a used 1996 Lincoln Town Car in immaculate condition with only 81,000 miles in 2006 from a retired air force officer. I have put only 2,000 miles on it. Last week the plastic manifold cracked and my antifreeze blew all over the engine. The engine overheated and a cylinder went out. I called Ford and they said a class action suit resulted in Ford paying only up to seven years after manufacture, or 2003. They told me I am not covered. I am looking for how to pursue this. I will check this site for ideas from others. Thank you. CKH.
I have never purchased a new automobile. I bought a 1986 Town Car with 48,000 miles on it and was very happy with that car after 8 years of reliable service from it. I traded it for a 1993 Town Car, which I drove for ten years, and was very pleased with it, and recently sold it as it had 203,000 miles on it. I have been looking at newer, used Town Cars, and have recently found concerns involving the plastic intake manifolds. I am concerned about this, as I have been exposed to the problems that GM has had with plastic intake manifolds on the 3800 Series II V-6. I am sorry to find that Ford has made a similar mistake, and compromised the integrity and reputation of a very good engine, as did GM with the 3800, by cheapening it up with plastic parts. I am very disappointed! No wonder Toyota has surpassed both Ford and now GM in global sales of automobiles!