Ford Class Corrosion Suit Falls Apart Due to Vehicle Differences

Consumers alleging Ford Motor Co. SUVs and cars have corrosion-prone aluminum panels aren’t entitled to class certification because differences among models and model years undermine their standing to sue and the predominance of common issues, a federal court in Florida ruled.

The “proposed classes could only survive from a standing perspective if divided into an astounding twenty subclasses,” Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II said Monday for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Even then, the subclasses would be “inherently flawed,” he said.

Other suits have been filed over the corrosion issue, including one against Ford that ...