Ford Must Face Lawsuit Over Alleged Explorer Sport Roof Defect

Ford Motor Co. must face a products liability lawsuit from a man who claims he was injured in an accident involving his 2001 Explorer Sport due to a defective design in the vehicle’s roof.

The action can proceed because Ford didn’t conclusively show that the date the SUV was released to an independent dealership was the day it was officially sold to the dealership, which determines the deadline to bring the lawsuit, the Texas Court of Appeals, Fifth District said Wednesday, reversing a lower court’s order granting Ford’s motion to dismiss.

Samuel Rivera Gama and family members alleged that defects ...