Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Ford is being sued by the owner of a Transit Trail for allegedly not meeting the van’s advertised off-road capabilities. Revealed in 2022, the Ford Transit Trail comes with a 3.5-inch lift, standard all-wheel drive with Slippery and Mud driving modes, plus the brand’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. These features, together with 30.5-inch Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse all-terrain tires, promised a practical van that could much more comfortably be driven off-road. But Ford’s troubles started with a recall in 2024 due to those chunky tires rubbing up against the wheel arch liner. A subsequent fix was announced with smaller tires, but the plaintiff says this change reduces the capabilities of his van. Here’s what’s happening.Ford’s Recall Fix Not Adequate2023 Ford Transit TrailJohn Beltz SnyderIn the 2024 recall report, Ford states that Transit Trail models experienced an issue whereby the front tires could rub up against the wheel arch liners, a condition that occurs at 60% of a full turn when braking or when the vehicle is loaded at or near the Front Gross Axle Weight Rating. At the time, Ford says it was aware of five warranty reports and 10 field reports related to these 30.5-inch tires. In some cases, customers’ tires went flat due to the rubbing condition.AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the lawsuit shared by Car Complaints, plaintiff Joseph Falman III from Connecticut said he paid $80,000 for his Transit Trail, but was unable to properly turn the vehicle. Ford eventually announced a fix that involved fitting smaller tires not designed for off-road use, which Falman says reduces the claimed off-road abilities of the van.2023 Ford Transit TrailJohn Beltz Snyder"Ford’s 'solution' removes the ability for Plaintiff to use the vehicle for the purpose that it was sold – namely, an off-road capable Ford Transit with a Ford warranty,” states the lawsuit. “Further, the smaller tires are likely to provide less traction in snow, grass, and mud."A document on the NHTSA website detailing Ford’s solution involves fitting different Goodyear 235/65R16C tires, along with both front wheel arch liners. Falman says the tire rub issue should have been identified in testing before the vehicle was sold and claims that the smaller tires remove the whole point of buying an off-road van.Related: All-Terrain Or All-Season Tires? Pros, Cons, And How To ChooseNot Ford’s Only Transit-Related Lawsuit2023 Ford Transit TrailJohn Beltz SnyderThis lawsuit isn’t the first to be filed against Ford after the Transit Trail recall. A year ago, a class action suit popped up for precisely the same reason, with plaintiffs claiming their 2023 and 2024 Transit Trail vans were not as capable as originally claimed once the smaller tires were fitted. That particular lawsuit is still working its way through the court system, adding to Ford’s legal troubles.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt’s rare to find a case such as this, whereby a recall remedy leaves a particular vehicle with different specifications to the original. Unless Ford can prove that the fixes don’t affect the Transit’s off-road abilities, the automaker may have a battle on its hands, since the larger tires would have provided superior ground clearance and a likely better approach angle. The fact that the Transit Trail costs in the vicinity of $80,000 doesn’t help matters; this is not some cheap commuter car, but a specialized vehicle designed to perform in a specific environment.Ford may need to resort to more substantial modifications for the 1,900 Transit Trails affected or provide better compensation for plaintiffs.This story was originally published by Autoblog on May 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.