BELLEVILLE - The owner of a truck who claims the vehicle sold to him was defective wants a court to order the automaker and the dealership to repair it, buy it back, or deliver a new one.
Paul Kester claims his 2018 Ford F-150 XLT Sport began to exhibit mechanical problems shortly after he bought the vehicle for just over $50,000 in September 2018.
There was an unexplained "rattle" noise from the drivetrain, while it began to "abruptly and forcefully" shift gears, according to the complaint.
Stephen W. Adamsky
| Facebook
The Record was unable to contact Ford Motor Company prior to publication. The Auffenberg Ford North dealership in O'Fallon is also named as a defendant.
Kester described the problems as so severe that he was unable to drive the truck for extended periods, or any distance, as he feared the vehicle would break down and leave him stranded.
He claimed to have attempted on several occasions from January to July 2019 to have the mechanical problems fixed, but nothing could be done to remedy the issues.
He is seeking redress under the Illinois New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act, which he claims the defendants violated by not repairing, replacing, or buying back the truck.
Kester also accuses Ford Motor Company and the dealership of breach of contract and breach of implied warranty.
The complaint reveals that he paid $12,000 in cash, traded in a vehicle for nearly $3,000 and owes $38,000 on the car.
Under the breach of contract complaint, Kester states that the defendants were obliged to deliver a vehicle in proper working order. He wants the court to order the defendants to buy back, repair, or deliver a new vehicle.
The plaintiff is represented by Stephen W. Adamsky of Evans Law Firm in O'Fallon.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2020-L-0143