The government quickly established the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in order to regulate this new form of transportation. However, this new department wasn’t able to stop defective auto parts from causing injury then, and it still can’t today. The United States has a long history of dangerous and deadly auto defects.

1915

Would it surprise you to hear that the very first auto recall was all the way back in 1915? Ford had to recall all of his original Model T’s, one of the very first cars ever made available to the public in America, due to the fact that the seats were stuffed with Spanish moss, rather than stuffing or cotton. As a result, small bugs, known as berry bugs or chiggers, would crawl out of the seats and bite drivers and passengers alike. Not the deadliest recall, but certainly not a painless experience!

1965

The new line of Chevrolet Impalas was introduced in 1965, and it quickly became apparent that the cars were far from safe. The engine was poorly mounted, and in certain circumstances, would lift. This impacted the throttle linkage, causing the throttle to suddenly increase. This would shoot the car forward, causing serious collisions. The most disturbing part of this defect was the fact that the cars were not recalled until 1969, four years after both the company and the government knew there was a major problem.

1984

The SUV is known to be a rollover hazard today. With their high centers of gravity, taking a turn too quickly can easily cause these vehicles to flip. However, there wasn’t any excuse for the 1984 Bronco defect that caused countless injuries and deaths. The odd design of the wheels and axles in this early SUV model would cause it to tip forward onto its front two wheels, even when going as slow as 20 mph. This meant that hitting the brakes in your bucking Bronco was liable to cause your entire car to flip forward.

1990

Within the first few years of the 1990s, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) received thousands of reports that a recently released tire was defective, causing countless blowouts and accidents. Hundreds were killed by these tires, and even more were injured. It took almost a decade for the companies responsible, Ford and Firestone, to finally recall the deadly tires.

2005

Yet again, an SUV was found to be responsible for catastrophic injuries and deaths. Fiat was fully aware that their Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee had poorly designed gas tanks. The tanks were practically unprotected, meaning any collision could cause the SUVs to explode, or be engulfed in flames. These were issues starting in the ‘80s, and yet Fiat refused to do anything about them until the 2000s. Even then, the redesigns implemented were kept secret to try and keep the public in the dark about the dangers of the original design.

2011

Perhaps the most famous of modern auto defects, the Toyota Camry was recalled due to the fact that the acceleration pedal was getting stuck, leaving drivers speeding out of control and unable to stop. There were actually three recalls of the Toyota Camry in 2009, 2010, and 2011; each one for a similar problem. These entrapped peddles caused unimaginable damage and cost many their lives. The issue was clearly not fixed fast enough.

2019

The saga of the Toyota Camry has continued all the way up to 2019, and we are sure it will have a few more recalls in the future as well. This time, it is due to an issue where the passenger airbag would fail to deploy, leaving passengers without any protection in the event of a collision. Needless to say, this is an incredibly dangerous defect that could easily cost someone their life. If you have a 2019 Toyota Camry, we recommend looking into the recall, and finding out whether your car needs to be returned.

Defects Today

One thing that the history of auto defects makes abundantly clear is that car companies will do their best to cover up their mistakes, even if it costs people their lives. Recalls only ever happen as a last resort, when the company realizes that the lawsuits against them will cost more than taking back defective products. If you have been injured due to an auto defect, then you have the right to file a claim against the liable company. However, having the legal right to do so will not make the process easy.

The auto company will most likely fight you tooth and nail. They may even try to blame your injuries on your own negligence, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary. The best way to handle these cases is to make sure you have a skilled Colorado Springs car accident attorney in your corner, fighting for you. Thankfully, you can find an excellent team at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. To get the help you need, call us at (719) 475-2555 today.

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As a result, the NHTSA urges owners of the recalled GM vehicles to get them fixed as soon as possible.  A vehicle can be taken to any GM dealership, which will make the repair free of charge.  Until the repair can be made, GM recommends that drivers “use only the ignition key with nothing else on the key ring,” according to the NHTSA’s website.

Vehicles affected by the recall include:

• Chevrolet Cobalt model years 2005-2010,
• Chevrolet HHR model years 2006-2011,
• Pontiac G5 model years 2007-2010,
• Pontiac Solstice model years 2006-2010,
• Saturn Ion model years 2003-2007,
• Saturn Sky model years 2007-2010.

Drivers with questions about their specific GM model can call the company for more information.

Despite the high-profile nature of the vehicle ignition switch problem, making repairs available to drivers has proceeded slowly.  General Motors has discussed problems with finding replacement parts and with distributing them to dealerships so that repairs can be made.  Nonetheless, repairs are being made, and consumers are urged to learn as much as they can and to get their vehicles fixed as soon as possible.  An experienced Colorado Springs auto product liability lawyer can also help you protect your legal rights if you suffer a car accident that may have been caused by a faulty ignition switch or other defect in a vehicle.

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The recall focuses on a problem that causes airbags to deploy when they are not needed and, in some cases, with excessive force that causes injuries rather than preventing them.  As many as six deaths reported to the NHTSA may already have been caused by the defect.

The recall affects vehicles including the Acura MDX, the Dodge Viper, the Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Honda Odyssey, the Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Corolla, Matrix, and Avalon models manufactured in the early 2000s.  Some of the vehicles were included in a previous air bag related recall, which attempted to address problems with an electronic component that governed when and how the air bags deployed in a crash.

So far, the NHTSA’s data has revealed about 400 cases in which the air bags deployed inadvertently, including about 39 deployments in vehicles that had been repaired under the previous recall.  Nine of the cases were caused by a defective inflator within the air bag system, and in three of those situations, drivers suffered injuries as a result of the air bag rupturing.  No one was killed in those incidents.

Owners of potentially affected vehicles can visit the NHTSA’s safety recall website, SaferCar.gov, for more information.

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The agreement follows an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The investigation sought evidence that Honda had violated the agency’s Early Warning Reporting regulations, which obligate automakers to report information about injuries, deaths, damage, and warranty claims within a certain time period.

The purpose of the reporting system is to spot possible hidden defects in vehicles more quickly, so that recall notices can be issued and steps can be taken to protect vehicle owners from serious harm.  Experienced Colorado auto product liability lawyers rely on such systems to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths suffered when a vehicle contains a dangerous hidden defect.

Last November, Honda stated that, between July 2003 and June 2014, it failed to report 1,729 cases involving death or serious injuries.  Eight of the unreported incidents involved the defective Takata Corp. air bags that have already been subjected to national recalls and a NHTSA investigation.

The automaker claimed that it had failed to report due to problems with its data entry and computer programming systems, as well as due to difficulties interpreting the federal regulations that require early reporting.  In addition to agreeing to pay the fines, Honda has also announced it will create new training programs for staff, change the way it handles internal reports, and improve oversight of its early warning reporting processes.

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The defect affects the operation of the propellant that inflates the airbags in the vehicle if a crash occurs. In some crashes, the airbag may not inflate at all, failing to protect the person in the front passenger seat. In other situations, the airbag may inflate or inflate partially when there is no accident. Since airbags typically inflate quickly and with some force, a person sitting in the front passenger seat or who is entering or exiting the vehicle may be injured due to a sudden and unexpected airbag inflation. Finally, some defective parts have been linked to vehicle fires, which pose risks to everyone in the passenger compartment as well as to those who are outside the vehicle but near it.

All four automakers are facing the same defect because all four purchased and used airbag assembly parts from the same manufacturer: Takata Corp., the world’s second-largest supplier of parts for airbags and seat belt assemblies. Takata Corp. believes the defective airbag parts were manufactured in one of its Mexico plants.

If you’ve been injured by a vehicle defect, The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. can help. Call us today at (719) 475-2555 to learn more about your legal rights and options. Your initial consultation with our experienced Colorado injury attorneys is free and confidential.

The post Airbag Defect Recall Affects Over 3 Million Japanese-Made Vehicles appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

The lamps are about seven inches tall and consist of a four-inch diameter ball with multi-colored plastic panels, which sits on top of a three-inch high black plastic base. The light inside the plastic ball lights up when the on-off switch on the base is pressed, which sends multicolored beams out of the panels. The style number for each recalled light appears in the lower left corner of the product’s label, which is on the back of the package.

So far, Tween Brands has received one report of a lamp overheating and one report of a lamp causing an electrical shock. The lamps were sold at Justice stores and online at www.shopjustice.com between May and November 2012. They were imported by Tween Brands of New Albany, Ohio and were manufactured in China.

Customers should unplug the recalled lamps and return them to any Justice store, where they will receive a full refund.

If you’ve been injured by a defective product, don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Colorado products liability attorneys at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. For a free and confidential case evaluation, call us today at (719) 475-2555.

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The recall affects 2.5 million cars in the United States, according to the Detroit Free Press. It covers vehicles made from 2005 to 2010, including Toyota’s popular Camry, Corolla, Yaris, RAV4, Tundra, Matrix, and Sequoia, as well as two Scion models.

The recall is related to the window control switch in the driver’s side door. When installed, the switches did not have adequate lubrication. As they are used, friction causes heat buildup in the door, which can lead to smoke and/or fire. Owners of the recalled vehicles should take them to a Toyota dealership or licensed mechanic, who will apply a non-flammable lubricant to control the friction and reduce fire risk.

Toyota has stated that it hasn’t received any reports of injuries due to the defective switches. However, a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) included nine injury reports and 161 separate fire reports.

At The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., our skilled El Paso County personal injury attorneys can help you find out exactly what defective part or product caused your injury and get the compensation you need to recover. Call us today at (719) 475-2555 for a free, confidential case evaluation.

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