DETROIT--Ford Motor Credit Co. may soon settle a dispute in which it allegedly overcharged customers who ended their leases early and bought the vehicles.

The settlement would end an investigation, which started in 1991, into Ford's leasing practices, reported The Detroit News.

By May 15, 3,700 dealers must decide whether to accept or reject the settlement. It requires that they pay up to $8,000 each to be protected from further investigation and any charges or penalties. These dealerships have been the subjects of a 39-state probe led by Florida and Illinois attorneys general, said The Detroit News.

Ford Credit, which financed the 155,000 leases in dispute, would be safe from any litigation. It would have to pay $100 each to eligible customers who, between 1991 and 1994, ended a lease and purchased the vehicle. It could mean a total payout of about $1.5 million, along with up to $500,000 to reimburse the attorneys general for the costs of the investigation.

"(It's) a good settlement all around," said Ford Credit spokesperson Dan Jarvis. "It's up to each dealer to determine whether or not they want to opt in."