Automobile manufacturer Honda Motor Co. issued a recall for 633,753 of its Odyssey minivans with models ranging from 2011 to 2016 because the seats in the second row of the vehicle are prone to move at unexpected times.
The Odyssey vehicles included in the recall were manufactured between August 1, 2010 and October 1, 2015. According to Honda, the release lever for the vehicles cannot be locked, which means the seats might move unexpectedly. Apparently, the problem was identified via a warranty claim report, Honda added. There have yet to be reports of injuries or fatalities due to the malfunction. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted a story about the recall on its website on Thursday, December 29.
If a personal injury accident in Nashville or another area of Tennessee has caused you harm, it is often possible to obtain financial compensation when you seek the legal aid of our attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP. Speak with a qualified member of our legal team by calling our offices today at 615-277-2765.
Honda and Fiat Chrysler have issued a worldwide recall of five million vehicles to fix a defective airbag component that the automakers have known about for years. This defective component—a semiconductor that can become susceptible to corrosion—causes the airbag to do one of two things: deploy at random times, or not deploy at all when it is needed.
The defect was discovered in January of 2008 by Continental Automotive Systems, the German company that manufacturers the components that actually control the airbags in these vehicles, who then informed automakers of the defect, according to Mary Arraf, a Continental spokesperson. Arraf went on to claim that it was up to automakers to issue a recall at that point.
The fact that it has taken eight years for anything to be done about the defect is concerning, not to mention probably illegal; federal law in the United States mandates that manufacturers must inform regulators of its plans to issue a recall within five business days of becoming aware of a safety problem. Arraf indicated that “‘potentially less than two million’” vehicles may be affected in the United States.
At present, only Honda and Fiat Chrysler have initiated recalls, though a number of other car makers may eventually need to follow suit, including Mazda and Volvo. A Mazda spokesperson said that the company was still investigating. At Pohl & Berk, LLP, our firm will continue to monitor this evolving story.
Fiat Chrysler was slapped with a record $105 million fine this past Sunday by federal regulators as punishment for not completing 23 recalls of over 11 million vehicles due to safety issues. The penalty tops the $70 million fine Honda incurred this January for faulty airbags, making it the largest fine ever levied by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on an automaker for violations of federal safety rules.
Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said of the harsh punishment: “This civil penalty puts manufacturers on notice that the department will act when they do not take their obligation to repair safety defect seriously.”
Fiat Chrysler also released a consent agreement this past Sunday in which the company admitted guilt in violating these recall regulations and agreed to the punishment, saying, “We also accept the resulting consequences with renewed resolve to improve our handling of recalls and re-establish the trust our customers place in us.”
In a recent briefing in Detroit, the highway safety agency’s new administrator, Mark R. Rosekind, told reporters that, “We need a proactive safety culture in this country.” Rosekind has made a number of moves lately in an effort to crack down on automakers that avoid correcting defective vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the Jeep and Dodge SUV recall initiated last July by Fiat Chrysler after reports of fires occurring even after repairs, according to The New York Times on May 5.
The original recall included Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos from the model years 2011-2014. Around 895,000 vehicles were recalled due to defective wiring in the sun visor that could short circuit and incite fire. However, federal auto safety regulators have received eight reports of fire in vehicles that had already gone through repairs.
One Jeep Grand Cherokee owner said that the vehicle filled with smoke while he was driving, and another vehicle owner told the NHTSA that the sun visor burst into flames. Repairs for the recalled vehicles involved installing a protective plastic covering around the visor’s wiring.
A Fiat Chrysler spokesperson said the company was cooperating with the NHTSA in the follow-up investigation.
The attorneys of Pohl & Berk, LLP, know that great injury and expense can result from an accident caused by a defective vehicle. Our Nashville legal team may help you pursue financial compensation to cover your damages from the automaker responsible. Call our offices at 615-277-2765 today to learn more.
The Volkswagen Group of America, the American branch of the world’s third-largest automaker, recently announced a recall of 38,000 vehicles due to the risk that a fuel leak in the engine may lead to fires, WIVB 4 reported on December 31.
This is a preemptive recall, as Volkswagen claimed it has yet to receive a report of injury or accident related to this issue.
Included in the recall are vehicles from the 2014 to 2015 model years, such as the Volkswagen Beetle, Jetta, and Passat. The 2015 models of the Golf and the GTI are also covered in the recall.
Incurring injury or being traumatized in a personal injury accident in Tennessee can result in serious injuries. When an accident is the result of an automaker’s negligent manufacturing, however, you may pursue financial compensation against the liable company. If you have experienced an accident due to the negligence of someone else, the attorneys of Pohl & Berk, LLP, may offer critical representation. Call our offices at 615-277-2765 today.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is having to answer for its failure to recall GM’s Chevy Cobalt and Saturn Ion for air bag defects, according to a report from safetyresearch.net.
Critics were outraged to discover that the NHTSA did not issue a recall after the air bags failed to deploy in at least 43 accidents, resulting in 27 injuries and four deaths since the first incident was reported in 2005. Earlier this year, David Friedman, NHTSA Acting Administrator, stated at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce meeting that there was no reason to issue a recall because there was not a statistically significant rate of air bag malfunction compared to other manufacturers.
A recent analysis, however, shows that the agency was considering Chevy and Saturn as individual entities, rather than all under GM; if compiled under their parent company, incidence of complaints do become statistically significant, revealing a 54% higher reported rate of air bag failure compared to other automakers.
Protesters are outraged that another potentially fatal auto defect was concealed from the public for so long. Some believe that the NHTSA’s fierce defense is due to concerns about defending their reputation after the GM ignition switch debacle.
Toyota has announced the recall of around 130,000 Tundra full-size pickup trucks, manufactured at the company’s San Antonio, Texas plant, due to the danger that a plastic trim piece in the vehicles may pose by interfering with the vehicles’ side airbags, the Associated Press reported on September 12.
Toyota will be recalling United States versions of Crew-Max and Double Cab from the 2014 model year because the trim covering the center pillars of these vehicles’ front seats may not have been installed incorrectly, and they may affect how the airbag deploys. Dealers are set to make replacements on the trim of these vehicles, and owners will be notified of the issue by mail.
When a vehicle does not work properly and results in the harm of you or a loved one, seek the legal assistance of the attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP, in Nashville who may help you pursue financial compensation for any damages. Call our offices at 615-277-2765 today to discuss your situation.
