Judge Wants TFI Settlement

OAKLAND, Calif.--The California judge who ordered the recall of faulty Ford thick film ignition (TFI) modules is calling on Ford to quickly resolve the matter, saying the case “cried out for settlement.”

The California recall includes just about every Ford model from 1984-1987 as well as selected vehicles manufactured through 1995 and a few in 1983.

There are more than 22 million of these vehicles nationwide. (The current court case applies only to Golden State vehicles.) Ford faces similar class action lawsuits in Alabama, Maryland, Illinois, Tennessee and Washington.

Judge Michael Ballachey of the Alameda County Superior Court told a hearing that he will stay on the case--a multi-billion dollar trial involving allegations that Ford misled consumers over what’s been ruled a design defect that makes Ford cars likely to stall.

Ballachey has ruled that Ford tried to cover-up the problems with its TFIs

The case involves allegations that Ford placed TFI modules too close to the engine in at least 1.7 million California cars and trucks between 1983 and 1995, causing them to stall due to excessive heat damage. There are about 3.5 million current and former California Ford owners represented in the class action lawsuit.

Ford lawyers want Ballachey off the case, claiming he’s biased. Ballachey wants Ford to make the TFI recall Job One.

Ballachey on Oct. 10 directed Ford to recall and fix more than 1.7 million California vehicles equipped with the faulty TFIs.

Ballachey’s decision was the first recall order ever issued by a judge. Last week, he called for a settlement agreement rather than a court-mandated resolution.

“This case cries out for a settlement," Ballachey said, noting that resolving the issue through an extended court-ordered recall battle was like “performing surgery with a meat ax.”