Ninth Circuit Shatters Summary Judgment Order In Sunroof Defect Suit

Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed a district court order granting summary judgment to Ford Motor Company in a products liability suit. The case concerned an alleged manufacturing defect in Ford's panoramic sunroofs (PSRs), which causes them to shatter without warning. Ford began manufacturing vehicles with PSRs in 2007. Shortly after these vehicles hit the market, Ford began receiving complaints from customers claiming that the PSRs were shattering spontaneously. Nevertheless, Ford continued to add PSRs to its other model lines, including its Escape compact crossover vehicles (starting with the 2013 model). Although Ford has continued to receive complaints about the shattering PSRs, it does not appear that any serious injuries have occurred as a result, and neither Ford nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall.¹