Ford Settlement
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Ford Settles 49-State Vehicle Case for $1,140,000
The Air Resources Board's (ARB) Mobile Source Enforcement Section discovered that Ford had delivered to final stage manufacturers 374 1998 and 1999 model year new motor vehicles (model E-450's with 7.3L engines) that were not certified by the ARB for sale in California. The vehicles were subsequently offered for sale and were sold to California residents due in part to an error in Ford's vehicle order guide and electronic vehicle order system. Delivering, offering to sell and selling the vehicles violated the California Health and Safety Code (H&SC) section 43151.
In order to settle the case, Ford made substantial efforts to locate the vehicles and arrange for them to be reconfigured to specifications for California-certified configuration. Ford paid penalties to the California Air Pollution Control Fund in the amount of $1,140,000 for the violations. They will pay an additional $365,000 if the ARB becomes aware that within three years of 12/17/02 (the date of the agreements execution) that Ford has delivered for use, registration or resale in California new motor vehicles that have not been certified pursuant to the California H&SC. In addition, Ford made corrective actions to prevent the recurrence of the violations by modifying their ordering system and order review procedures.