Lawsuit Emerges Over Peeling Paint On Ford Trucks

After several recalls over peeling paint, Ford now faces a class-action lawsuit from a disgruntled F-150 owner over paint corrosion

Since 2004 Ford has released several Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) regarding paint issues with various vehicles. Each one states that Ford vehicles with aluminum body panels may have bubbling and corroding of paint due to iron contamination before being painted. In the most recent bulletin, TSB 17-0062, panel replacement is recommended when the issue occurs. The bulletins cover all Ford F-150s from 2004 to 2018

Car Complaints reports that one dissatisfied Ford customer was allegedly left high and dry after discovering peeling paint. Tina Nelson owns a 2014 Ford F-150 SuperCrew she purchased in 2016, but in 2018 she noticed the hood, roof, and side panel paint was peeling and corroding. However, she alleges that her local Oklahoma Ford dealership refuses to fix the issue. According to Nelson, the technicians blame the peeling paint on a problem with the primer. Though they acknowledged the issue, they would not fix it though she claims it is within the factory corrosion warranty. Nelson expresses her concern that the lack of paint will cause rust and further damage to the panel itself.

As a result of their refusal to repair the paint, Nelson is filing a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit itself alleges that the verbiage of the warranty is intentionally written to render it meaningless effectively. According to Nelson, the warranty states that panels will only be repaired if the aluminum perforates. She goes on to allege that Ford knows that perforation is The lawsuit covered an extensive group, as well

“All persons in the United States and its territories who within the applicable statute of limitations period, and as shown by Defendant’s records, purchased or leased a new or used Ford F-150.”

The case, Nelson, et al., v. Ford Motor Company, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Western Division. The plaintiff is represented by Glassman, Wyatt, Tuttle & Cox, P.C., and McGuire Law, P.C.

We understand that issues with a car or truck with low mileage can be frustrating. However, we hope that things will be resolved soon and that people who’s trucks are facing this issue will be repaired.

Photos: Ford Motor Company

Braden Carlson

Braden Carlson is an automotive enthusiast from Boise, Idaho. At 19 he quit his day job to pursue a career in automotive journalism, launching his Youtube channel in his own name. Today you can still find him producing DIY video content, reviews and writing for an amassment of automotive websites. His work is most frequently found on Rennlist, The Mustang Source and Corvette Forum. When not writing or driving, he's likely to be found covered in grease and oil undoubtedly from one of his gratuitous collection of questionable project cars.