Ford Pickup Owners May Represent Class on Three Brake Issues

Ford Motor Co. faces a trial on common issues related to an alleged brake defect in F-150 pickup trucks, after a federal court in Michigan certified a five-state consumer class for that purpose Friday.

But the predominance of individualized issues having to do with consumers’ reliance on Ford’s statements and the manifestation of the alleged defect precludes full class certification, Judge Gershwin A. Drain said for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Ford is entitled to summary judgment on two proposed class representatives’ claims, but otherwise the suit may proceed, Drain said.

Paul Weidman and other ...