Ford EcoBoost Engine Defect Lawsuit: Miller Case and Recalls

The Ford EcoBoost engine defect lawsuits are a group of class actions alleging that several EcoBoost engines built between 2013 and 2022 suffer from design or manufacturing defects that cause coolant leaks, oil pump failures, or broken intake valves, leading to overheating, engine seizure, and in some cases fires. The lead U.S. case, Miller v. Ford Motor Company, is still active in the Eastern District of California, no class has been certified, and no settlement has been reached for the four-cylinder coolant-intrusion claims that make up the bulk of the litigation.

What the Lawsuits Say Is Wrong With the Engines

The core allegation in the largest case involves an “open deck cooling design” in Ford’s 1.5L, 1.6L, and 2.0L four-cylinder EcoBoost engines. According to the complaint, an inadequate cylinder head seal includes grooves where the head meets the block; coolant travels through those grooves, pools, and gradually eats through the gasket until it breaches the cylinders themselves.¹

Once coolant enters the cylinders, the engine loses the coolant it needs to run cool, which can warp internal parts and crack the cylinder heads. Coolant mixing with engine oil dilutes and contaminates it, accelerating wear. The worst outcomes are total engine seizure or engine fires, and plaintiffs allege these failures can happen even at low mileage.²³

Plaintiffs say Ford knew about the problem before selling the vehicles and that the fixes it has offered, chiefly recalibrating engine software and installing coolant level sensors, are “superficial stopgap, Band-Aid remedies” that leave the underlying design flaw in place.⁴

Vehicles Covered by the Main Lawsuit

The consolidated Miller action covers U.S. consumers who purchased or leased the following vehicles with the 1.5L, 1.6L, or 2.0L EcoBoost engine:²

Ford Escape, 2013–2019
Ford Fusion, 2013–2019
Ford Edge, 2015–2018
Lincoln MKC, 2017–2019
Lincoln MKZ, 2017–2019

Some plaintiff firms list additional models in their own filings, including the 2014–2015 Ford Fiesta ST and 2013–2015 Ford Transit Connect.⁵ The official Miller case page, though, states that “no other years or models are included” beyond those listed above.² If your vehicle uses a different EcoBoost engine, a different case may apply. Those are covered further down.

Where the Miller Case Stands

Vanessa Miller filed the original lawsuit on September 4, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.⁶ Two related suits, Reed v. Ford and Lund v. Ford, were filed in early 2021 and consolidated into the Miller action.⁷ After consolidation the case grew to 32 plaintiffs from 19 states asserting 51 causes of action under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and various state consumer protection and warranty statutes.⁸

Ford has tried twice to get the case thrown out. The court granted its motions in part and denied them in part in August 2022 and again on March 28, 2024, letting the surviving claims move forward.⁸

As of mid-2026 the case is still pending. No class has been certified, no motion for class certification appears on the docket, and there is no settlement.⁶ Capstone Law APC, one of the firms representing plaintiffs, notes that litigation of this kind can take years and that no successful outcome is guaranteed.²

If You Have a Different EcoBoost Engine

The Miller case is limited to the 1.5L, 1.6L, and 2.0L engines. Separate lawsuits cover other EcoBoost families.

2.3L EcoBoost

Nelson v. Ford Motor Company, filed in 2024 in the Eastern District of California, alleges a similar coolant-leak defect in the 2.3L EcoBoost. On September 4, 2025, the court issued a mixed ruling on Ford’s motion to dismiss, letting some claims proceed. The judge cited the reasoning from the Miller rulings, adopting the principle that alleging EcoBoost engines share a common design and defect creates a reasonable inference that Ford’s knowledge of the problem in one engine implied knowledge across others.⁹

1.0L Three-Cylinder EcoBoost

Bolton v. Ford Motor Company, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, covers owners and lessees of the 2016–2017 Ford Fiesta, 2016–2018 Ford Focus, and 2018–2021 Ford EcoSport with the 1.0L three-cylinder EcoBoost.¹⁰ The defect here is different: the 1.0L uses a “wet” timing belt that runs through engine oil, and belt material can degrade, clog the oil pump, and cause engine seizure.¹¹ In July 2024, the court largely denied Ford’s motion to dismiss.¹² According to Berger Montague, one of the plaintiffs’ firms, the case has since been settled, though the terms have not been publicly disclosed.

2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost V6

Barkus v. Ford Motor Company, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that intake valves in the 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost V6 engines are prone to cracking because of thermal damage during manufacturing, a condition called “grinding burn.” A fractured valve can drop into the cylinder, hit the piston, and destroy the engine.¹³ The suit covers 2021–2022 Ford Broncos, Edges, Explorers, F-150s, and Lincoln Aviators and Navigators, and seeks more than $5 million in damages.¹⁴ Ford’s motion to dismiss was pending as of mid-2025.¹⁵ The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 used in some F-150s is not part of this case.

Canada

Canadian owners have their own action, Barron v. Ford Motor Company Canada, filed in the Ontario Court of Justice. It targets the same 1.5L, 1.6L, and 2.0L coolant-intrusion defect across a similar range of vehicles and argues that existing Transport Canada recalls, limited to the 1.6L engine, are insufficient.¹⁶

Recalls and Warranty Programs You Can Use Now

Recalls and Ford’s own customer satisfaction programs are separate from the lawsuits and, for some owners, offer relief that is actually available today.

For the V6 intake valve problem, Ford launched recall 24V-635 on August 23, 2024, covering 90,736 vehicles built between May and October 2021. Dealers run the engine through a high-RPM test and replace the engine if it fails. Ford also opened customer satisfaction campaign 24N12, which extends the warranty on affected vehicles to 10 years or 150,000 miles. NHTSA closed its underlying investigation in October 2024.¹⁷

For the 1.0L engine, NHTSA has opened a separate investigation into 2015–2017 Fiesta and 2015–2018 Focus models with manual transmissions after 44 complaints of power loss while driving. Ford had previously recalled 139,730 vehicles, 2016–2018 Focus and 2017–2021 EcoSport models, for a related oil pump drive belt issue.¹¹

For the 1.5L coolant-intrusion problem, Ford ran two customer programs, both now closed:

Program 19B37 authorized dealers to reprogram the powertrain control module at no charge to improve engine cooling. It ran through November 30, 2022.
Program 21N12 provided a one-time, no-cost engine short block replacement on 2017–2019 Fusion and Escape vehicles with the 1.5L engine that experienced coolant intrusion, for 7 years or 84,000 miles from the original warranty start date. Ford also offered reimbursement for owners who had paid for related repairs out of pocket, provided claims were submitted through a dealer before the November 30, 2022 deadline.¹⁸

The extended 7-year, 84,000-mile warranty Ford put on the 1.5L engine in 2017–2019 Escapes and Fusions also expired in November 2022.³ Plaintiffs argue these programs were too narrow in scope and too short in duration, leaving many affected owners without a fix.

What Owners Can Do

If your vehicle is on one of the lists above and you are experiencing symptoms consistent with the alleged defect, keep detailed records: repair invoices, dealer communications, dates, mileages, and any diagnostic reports. If a class is eventually certified and a settlement or judgment follows, that documentation is what supports a claim. Check the NHTSA recall lookup for your VIN to see whether any open recall or customer satisfaction program still applies. And because none of the active U.S. cases have reached trial or certified a class, no claim form is available yet for the coolant-intrusion litigation; anyone telling you otherwise is not describing the Miller case as it currently stands.

1
ClassAction.org. Newer Ford, Lincoln Vehicles Plagued by EcoBoost Engine Defect Linked to Coolant Leaks, Class Action Says
2
FordecoBoostLawsuit.com. Ford EcoBoost Lawsuit
3
Ford Authority. New Ford EcoBoost Class Action Lawsuit Has All the Usual Suspects
4
Top Class Actions. Ford Class Action Claims EcoBoost Engines a Fire Risk
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KND Law. Ford Motor Company
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Court Listener. Miller v. Ford Motor Co.
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Law360. Ford EcoBoost Engine Defect Suits Consolidated in Calif.
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vLex. Miller v. Ford Motor Co.
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Justia. Nelson et al. v. Ford Motor Company, Order on Motion to Dismiss
10
Berger Montague. Bolton et al. v. Ford Motor Company
11
Ford Authority. NHTSA Opens Investigation Into Failing Ford 1.0L EcoBoost Engines
12
Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith. Court Upholds Class Action Claims Against Ford Motor Company Involving EcoBoost Engine Defect
13
CarBuzz. Why Ford Is Being Sued Over Its EcoBoost V6
14
SlashGear. Ford EcoBoost V6 Engine Lawsuit: Every Vehicle Affected
15
Ford Authority. Ford EcoBoost Class Action Lawsuit Not Needed, Blue Oval
16
Ford Authority. Ford EcoBoost Lawsuit Filed in Canada Over Coolant Leaks
17
TFLcar. Ford EcoBoost Engine Nano Failures Investigation Closed
18
NHTSA. Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12