Product Liability
NTSB Considers Ways to Improve Tire Safety Information for Consumers
When a motor vehicle is recalled for a hidden defect, vehicle owners can look up their vehicle by VIN on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. Auto manufacturers keep track of VIN ownership and strive to contact as many vehicle owners as possible about recalls.
But no similar system exists for tires, and for that reason, thousands of vehicles are still on U.S. roads with defective tires, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
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To Encourage Drivers to Fix Defects, Honda Turns to Advertising
Approximately 6.2 million Honda vehicles have been recalled for defects in the air bag inflation systems manufactured by the Takata Corporation. But only about 14 percent of those vehicles have visited Honda dealerships to have the potentially deadly defect fixed, according to a recent article in The New York Times.
To encourage Honda owners to get their vehicles fixed, Honda has announced plans to launch an ad campaign. The campaign will use a combination of newspaper, radio, and social media messaging to remind Honda drivers of the potential problem and encourage them to get it fixed – before more injuries or another death results.
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NHTSA Announces 2014 Worst Year on Record for Vehicle Recalls
More vehicles were recalled for hidden defects in 2014 than in any year prior, setting a new record for risk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s recent report.
In 2014, 803 separate vehicle recalls were issued for a total of 63.9 million vehicles nationwide. This number more than doubled the previous annual record set in 2004, when 30.8 million vehicles were recalled. Nevertheless, Carfax Inc. estimates that 46 million vehicles are still on the road with defects that have not been addressed. Carfax also estimates as many as 5 million recalled vehicles without repairs were sold or changed hands in 2014.
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IKEA Recalls Bed Canopies for Strangulation Hazard
Since August 1996, IKEA has sold millions of bed canopies worldwide that are designed to hang over children as they sleep. If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of families in the United States who have a bed canopy from IKEA, the Consumer Products Safety Commission is recommending that you stop using it immediately. In fact, IKEA has announced a massive recall of about 255,000 bed canopies in the United States and 2.6 million worldwide over strangulation concerns.
Officials say the recall is related to nine reports of children getting entangled in their bed canopies. In one incident, a 7-month-old girl pulled the fabric into her crib and wrapped it around her neck numerous times. Consumers should return these dangerous products to an IKEA store right away for a full refund.
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Nissan Issues Massive Recall for Faulty Steering
Nissan has announced plans to recall about 841,000 vehicles worldwide because of a defective steering wheel. According to a report in Metro News, a bolt used in the steering wheel was not screwed on properly and may need to be fixed or replaced. Nissan officials say that there is no danger of sudden failure and there have been no accidents involving the defective auto part. Many drivers, however, say they have noticed their steering wheel feeling loose. The vehicles involved in the recall include certain models of the Micra compact car and the Cube manufactured between 2002 and 2006.
This recall is one of many that Nissan has had to issue recently. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 123,000 Nissan Altima vehicles from model year 2013 were recalled to adjust the amount of inflation of the spare tires. Earlier in May, Nissan also recalled approximately 500,000 vehicles globally for a passenger airbag fault.
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Avoiding Defects When Buying a Car
When purchasing a used car, it is important that you do more than just “kick the tires.” Even vehicles that appear to be in perfect condition may have dangerous safety issues that have never been fixed. Before purchasing a used car in Oklahoma, it is advisable to run a vehicle history report to see if it has been involved in a major collision or if it has defective parts that should have been replaced.
A recent study by Carfax.com found that more than two million used cars were for sale nationwide in the year 2012 with open safety recalls. This means that they had parts that were recalled by the manufacturer, but the defects were not fixed. While some used car dealers provide buyers with a vehicle history report, they often fail to mention if the car was recalled. There is no current federal law requiring car dealers to identify or fix vehicles with an open recall before selling it.
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Vehicles Recalled for Airbag Issues
More than 1.3 million vehicles in the United States, and 3 million worldwide, have been recalled for defective airbags that can deploy and injure passengers. According to a news report in USA Today, the auto defect recall involves vehicles sold by Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, General Motors and BMW. Owners of the vehicles involved in the recall will need to bring their vehicle to a dealership to replace the faulty canisters that hold the propellant, which can activate the airbags.
Vehicles included in the recall include:
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Kia and Hyundai Vehicles Recalled for Defects
Kia and Hyundai have issued a large-scale auto recall because of defective brake light switches and faulty airbags. According to a news report in the Atlanta-Journal-Constitution, 1.7 million vehicles from model years 2007 through 2011 are involved in this safety recall. The Kia vehicles involved in the recall include Sorento, Rondo, Sportage, Sedona, Soul, and Optima. The Hyundai models that are part of the recall include the Accent, Tucson, Elantra, Santa Fe, Veracruz, Genesis Coupe, and Sonata.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the faulty brake light switch can cause the brake lights to not turn on when the pedal is depressed. The defective switch may even prevent the cruise control from deactivating and can prevent the gear from shifting out of park. NHTSA warns that having brake lights that are not working properly can significantly increase the risk of a crash. No accidents have been reported as a result of this defective auto part, according to the automakers.
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Johnson & Johnson Recalls Knee Replacement Device that Can Cause Fractures
An orthopedic device used in reconstructive knee surgery has been recalled because of the potential for fractures to occur. According to a Reuters news report, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Class I recall of the LPS Diaphyseal Sleeve manufactured by DePuy, the orthopedic unit of Johnson & Johnson.
The defective medical devices were manufactured between 2008 and July 20, 2012. Officials say that the devices can fracture at the joint, resulting in compromised soft tissue, loss of limb, or even death. The FDA reports that there have already been 10 known incidents in which the orthopedic device has failed or malfunctioned in some way.
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BMW Issues Massive Recall for Stalling Issues
BMW has issued an auto defect recall because of electrical issues that can cause the vehicles to unexpectedly stall. According to a Reuters news report, approximately 750,000 vehicles that were built between March 2007 and July 2011 are included in the recall. Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) say a battery cable connection with a fuse box on the vehicles can degrade, causing the engine to stall. This can increase the risk of a crash because it can happen while the vehicle is moving.
Included in this recall are 3-Series sedans, coupes, convertibles, and sports wagons. Other vehicles that are being recalled include 1-Series coupes and convertibles, Z4 two-seat roadsters, and some X1 crossover vehicles. There have been no reported crashes or injuries in the United States as a result of these defective vehicles.
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