Ford Motor Warranty Cases

Summary

The court held that Ford could not compel arbitration of purchasers' warranty and fraud claims based on arbitration clauses in sales contracts between the purchasers and dealerships. The clauses required arbitration of disputes between the purchasers and dealers and did not bind Ford, a nonsignatory. Equitable estoppel also did not apply because the claims arose from statutory warranty obligations and fraud duties rather than from terms of the dealership contracts.