'Ford is pathetic ... dealer ordered me not to come to them'

The family of Reshall Jimmy, who died in his burning Ford Kuga, and other drivers of the model are suing Ford in a class action over the spontaneous combustion of 48 of the carmaker's SUVs.

The litigation announcement was made in Pretoria yesterday by the Jimmy family lawyer, Rod Montano.

Ford SA said on Monday that it was recalling more than 4500 of its 1.6l Ecoboost Kugas made between 2012 and 2014.

Montano said 46 complaints had so far been forwarded to Ford by owners of the Kuga model.

Jimmy's brother, Kaveen, said the class action was intended to obtain justice for the affected customers.

Ford had not received notice of the class action yesterday.

The recall follows the bursting into flames of at least 48 Kuga models across South Africa since the death of Jimmy in December 2015. Eleven of the fires were reported this month.

Jimmy was burnt to death when his car caught alight while he was on holiday in the Wilderness in the southern Cape.

Yesterday Kuga owners trying to comply with the Ford SA recall were turned away by some dealerships.

Capetonian Astrid Ryke, whose car was booked in for a coolant system maintenance check at the N1 Barloworld Ford dealership three weeks ago, said her Kuga had continued to overheat.

• 'No brand is above the law': How Ford dodged consumer commission's bulletCarmaker Ford had to be threatened with an ultimatum to make it take action - "Either you sort out your combusting Kuga SUVs or we will".

Ford maintains that the cause of the fires is the coolant system.

Ryke said attempts yesterday to get the dealership to take in her car were fruitless.

"Ford is pathetic," she said. "Not even when I told [the dealer] that Ford SA said they would help, they ordered me not to come to them. When I asked for a written report that my car won't catch fire and was safe to drive, they refused.

"My only wish is when my car catches fire, my kids and I are not in it."

• Kuga recall bittersweet victory for the Jimmys"We have only just won the first leg of the battle with Ford."

eNCA anchor Michelle Craig complained on Twitter that she had "waited weeks for Ford's decision, took our Kuga to @FordSouthAfrica Fury on William Nicol hours after the recall, and was turned away".

"No courtesy cars available... dealership totally unprepared following recall announcement."

Richard Spiers tweeted: "@Ford your dealers need to watch #FordKuga recall announcement. Just been told they haven't been informed of it when dropping off my Kuga."

Ford SA spokesman Rella Bernardes said dealerships should not ask a customer to bring the car in later.

"If a maintenance check is delayed, the dealer will make a courtesy car available," she said.

"We are expediting parts supply from our global system by air and do not expect an extended wait."