Automotive News: Ford Swollen Lug Nuts Case Class-Action Lawsuit alleges the swollen lug nuts are installed on the Ford Fusion, Escape, Flex, Focus, F-150 and F-350, VW Diesel-Cheat System Is Said to Be Tied to Secret German Site
Ford Swollen Lug Nuts Case Class-Action Lawsuit
Lawsuit says Ford lug nuts swell and crack, leaving the lug nut wrench useless.
Ford swollen lug nuts have caused a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the lug nuts swell, crack and delaminate to the point special tools are needed to remove the lug nuts.
The lawsuit alleges the swollen lug nuts are installed on the Ford Fusion, Escape, Flex, Focus, F-150 and F-350.
Instead of solid steel nuts, the plaintiffs say Ford sells its vehicles with lug nuts that have a steel core with chrome, aluminum or stainless steel caps attached to improve the appearance of the visible part of the lug nuts.
The caps allegedly swell, crack and delaminate to the point where the lug nuts cannot be removed with the lug wrench provided by Ford. This leaves owners and lessees who get flat tires often stranded on the roads without the ability for even tow truck drivers to remove the swollen lug nuts. This means a tow to the shop just to have the lug nuts removed and the tire replaced.
The plaintiffs are represented by Hagens Berman. read more »
VW Diesel-Cheat System Is Said to Be Tied to Secret German Site
Volkswagen AG operated a top-secret site at its sprawling headquarters to test the diesel technology at the heart of the emissions-cheating scandal, reflecting the lengths those involved went to conceal their actions, people familiar with the matter said.
Some engineers used the research facility in Wolfsburg, Germany, to upload the software that manipulated regulatory emissions checks, one of the people said. The test stand, just a stone’s throw away from the main office tower where top executives sit, had unusually tight security rules that prevented access to those not involved in the project, including high-level employees who could enter all other development sites, another person said. The people spoke on condition of anonymity. Volkswagen declined to comment on internal facilities and findings into investigations into the roots of the manipulations.
While Volkswagen has said the manipulation was restricted to a small group of rogue engineers, the existence of a dedicated test site, which hasn’t been previously reported, shows that that work occurred in close proximity to the offices of top executives and raises fresh questions about what management knew about the illicit conduct. Former and current senior executives have denied allegations that they were aware of large-scale cheating. read more »
