DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 10 – May 2022 | On Edge in El Monte
2019 Ford Edge Transmission Issues
Dear Suzanne,
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My wife saw a lemon law post on Instagram about Fords with transmission and electrical issues. When she showed it to me to ask if our car had any of these problems, I had to laugh – it had pretty much all them!
We have a 2019 Ford Edge that we’ve had to take in a few times now for transmission and electrical problems. When we first bought it, it seemed to be in pretty good condition. It was used and only had about 27,000 miles on it when we bought it. Now, it has around 53,000 miles and non-stop problems.
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS
1000 miles after we took it home, the transmission started causing problems. When I stepped on the gas, the RPMs would go up, revving loudly, and then once it finally engaged, the whole SUV would jump forward. At the same time, the electrical systems went out of whack; the backup camera wouldn’t turn off, I couldn’t access the GPS or any of the other systems. It took a week in the shop for them to chalk it up to computer problems and reset it. Four months later, the same thing happened. Another reset and still nothing works.
COOLANT LEAK
Then, a few months ago, we had to have it towed to the Ford dealership. There was a coolant leak, the dealership said. So much smoke came billowing out of the car that my wife thought it had caught fire while driving down the highway.
I feel certain that my Edge should be considered a lemon car, but the dealership where we purchased it belongs to my best friend’s father and I know everyone who works there. They’re good people who’ve tried their best to fix my problems, but they haven’t been able to. I feel like I’m at my wit’s end with this, but I don’t want to get anyone in any trouble. What can I do to take care of this?
On Edge in El Monte
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It’s Not Personal, It’s Just A Lemon
Dear On Edge,
It’s a good thing your wife found that ad, because your Ford Edge definitely seems to fit the characteristics of a lemon, and your warranty (which lemon law hinges on) is only going to last a little while longer. With lemon law, sooner is always better than later.
First, let’s address your concerns about your friend and your personal relationship with the dealership. Nobody is going to get in trouble; not you, not your friend’s dad, not the technicians. Sometimes in life, lemons are unavoidable. Every manufacturer produces a certain percentage of lemons every year, though some more than others. Until the issues start, it can be impossible to know a vehicle is a lemon. It’s not likely they intentionally sold you a defective car, but it is Ford’s responsibility to rectify that – Ford, not your friend’s father. If you choose to file a lemon law claim, you’ll be suing Ford, the manufacturer, not the dealership. So try not to worry there. Though, it may make the situation easier if you took your Edge to another Ford dealership for any future visits.
REPAIR ATTEMPTS
Now, for your lemon problems. To qualify for California’s lemon law, you need to demonstrate that you gave Ford ample opportunity to fix the issues – that would be two or more repairs for a singular issue, three or more repairs for multiple issues. Where you’ve already taken it in three times, you meet the basic criteria, but since you still have some wiggle room on your powertrain warranty, I’d recommend taking the vehicle in another time to help solidify your case while you can.
Since you are eligible for lemon law compensation, you’re going to want to hire an experienced lemon law attorney to negotiate with the manufacturer to get you the best settlement possible. Luckily, in the state of California, the manufacturer is responsible for those costs, so pursuing a lemon law claim is absolutely free for you.
SETTLEMENT OPTIONS
In terms of settlements, there are three possible outcomes: a buyback, a cash and keep, and a replacement vehicle. Based on what you’ve told me, I’d say a buyback would be your best bet. You definitely don’t want to keep a vehicle that has so many potential safety issues, and a replacement vehicle could end up being another lemon, leaving you out of options. But a buyback will put you back to square one, with all your money back in your pocket and no more headaches. When a buyback happens, the manufacturer buys the vehicle back from you, paying you for the down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and any other costs you might’ve incurred when you purchased the Edge.
The only thing deducted from the settlement is something called a Mileage Offset. This is based on the amount of miles that the vehicle was driven before the issues began, generally it’ll be the mileage you were at during the first repair visit to the dealership. Where your vehicle was used, this amount might be higher than for a new car, but any good attorney will do their best to have that deduction waived or reduced. Read more about the Ford Lemon Law buyback settlement option, how it works, eligibility criteria, affected models, common defects, and case examples.
So, don’t worry, book another appointment, and call an attorney so you can get compensated for that defective lemon before it goes sour.
Suzanne
Reference: Ford Lemon Law Buyback Program Information
PS. If your vehicle sucks, you don’t need to put up with it a minute longer! Get started with your case to get paid for that lemon. Visit yourvehiclesucks.com right now to find out how you can get compensation. This website is owned by our partner law firm Quill & Arrow LLP, California’s #1 “settled” Lemon Law attorneys.
Free Legal Advice About Your 2019 Ford Edge Lemon Law Claim
Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, fill out the form on this page, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.
DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about CA Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to dearsuzanne@lemonlawyers.org. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.
Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a California lemon law lawyer to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.
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