Ford Recalls 1.5 Million Pickup Trucks for Transmission Fault

Recently, Ford Motor Company recalled nearly 1.5 million F-150 pickup trucks in North America. According to reports, there is a risk that the transmission could downshift into first gear without user input. This error could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash.

This recall affects F-150 models between 2011 and 2013. At least five vehicle accidents have been connected to the defective transmission.

Is My Vehicle Affected by a Recall?

If your vehicle is affected by a recall, your vehicle’s manufacturer will send you a notice with further instructions in the mail. They will use the mailing address on your vehicle registration, so it is important to keep it up-to-date.

You can easily check your vehicle for recalls or open investigations using your vehicle identification number (VIN). Your VIN will be 17 characters and can usually be found on the lower left of your vehicle’s windshield, your vehicle registration card or your vehicle insurance card.

After you have found your VIN, you can use it on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website to check for recalls. You may also be able to enter your VIN on your automaker’s website to check for recalls. If you own a Ford F-150 and think you may be affected by the recall, enter your VIN on their website.

You can also sign up for e-mail alerts from NHTSA. If a recall is issued for your vehicle, you will receive an alert.

Need a Texas Product Liability Attorney?

If you have been injured due to a defective product, contact our Lufkin product liability lawyers today to discuss your situation. At Mike Love & Associates, LLC, our attorneys have years of experience defending victims of defective products against large corporations. Please call us at (936) 632-2000 for a free consultation!For future updates on vehicle recalls, follow our Facebook page!

Is It Time for Hyundai and Kia to Issue a Recall?

The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) is urging Kia and Hyundai to issue recalls for vehicles that allegedly have an increased risk of catching fire. CAS is the nonprofit group credited with pushing for a recall of Firestone tires almost 20 years ago. Now, the organization is calling on Hyundai and Kia to issue a recall before people are hurt, or worse, killed by an issue that could be affecting the engines in certain vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reportedly received more than 350 complaints involving the alleged defect. According to consumers affected by the issue, their vehicles caught fire without being involved in a collision.

Complaints involve the following Hyundai and Kia vehicles:

• 2011-2014 model-year Kia Optima
• 2011-2014 model-year Kia Sorento
• 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata
• 2011-2014 Hyundai Santa Fe
• 2010-2015 Kia Soul

According to a lawsuit filed against the automakers, the issue may be caused by a defect that restricts the flow of oil to engine parts. The lawsuit claims that as a result of the blockage, the engines in these vehicles may eventually catch fire.

Understanding Product Liability Claims for Defective Auto Parts

Victims of defective auto parts may be able to file product liability claims against vehicle manufacturers. Claims may be filed for design or manufacturing defects. Compensation from an auto defect claim can be immeasurably helpful for accident victims and their family members. For instance, compensation from an injury or wrongful death claim can help survivors pay for expenses associated with an injury or loss (medical bills, lost wages, funeral expenses and more).

We have written about auto defects extensively on our blog. To learn more about auto defect cases and compensation for injuries caused by auto defects, we encourage you to continue reading our website. You can schedule a free consultation with one of our Texas auto defect lawyers by calling (936) 632-2000 or by using our online case review form.

Are You Worried Your Vehicle May Be Affected by a Safety Recall?

Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 653 vehicle recalls due to manufacturing defects. These defects affected nearly 30 million vehicles. That is a lot to keep track of in order to keep you and your family safe.How Do I Check Safety Recalls for My Vehicle?Once a vehicle has been recalled due to a safety defect, the car manufacturer is required to notify registered owners in the mail. However, that is not always reliable.By law, each on-road vehicle has a unique 17-digit number, known as a vehicle identification number (VIN). This number can be found on the bottom, left-hand side of your vehicle’s windshield. The VIN can also be found on your vehicle’s registration card. The VIN search checks for ongoing safety recalls, recalls conducted over the past 15 years and recalls conducted by major vehicle manufacturers. The VIN search will not cover completed recalls, international vehicles, some small, specialty vehicle brands, older recalls (more than 15 years old) and very recent safety recalls. This is due to NHTSA not having a complete list of affected VINs. NHTSA recommends checking for recalls twice a year. You can also sign up to receive e-mail alerts when there has been a recall for your vehicle.What Do I Do If My Vehicle Is Under Recall?If you have found that your vehicle has been affected by a safety recall, contact your local, authorized dealership. If you have received a letter from the manufacturer, bring it with you. If you do not have a letter, the manufacturer is still required to fix or replace the defect free of charge. NHTSA monitors each manufacturing defect recall to make sure those affected receive safe, free and effective solutions. What If I Have Been Injured Due to a Safety Defect in My Vehicle?If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident due to a manufacturing defect, an experienced product liability lawyer could help you seek coverage for your medical bills and/or wage losses. At Mike Love & Associates, LLC, we defend our clients aggressively in the court room and at the negotiating table. Call us today at (936) 632-2000 to discuss potential next steps for your injuries.

If You Thought Exploding Phones Were Bad….

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 has nothing on the explosive Ford Pinto. In the 1970’s, the Ford Pinto became a notorious fixture on the evening news due to reports of exploding fuel tanks and burn deaths. Ford’s Pinto also remains a textbook example of how companies sometimes put profits ahead of lives. It also remains an example of how trial lawyers and their clients help uncover harmful business practices.The story begins in 1970, when Ford started rear-end collision testing on the Pinto. Of the 11 tests Ford carried out, 8 resulted in gas tanks exploding. Tests showed that the Pinto’s gas tank was prone to rupturing and spilling gasoline underneath the vehicle. Now, this was not just a little bit of “spillage.” The contents of the entire gas tank could leak out within one minute after rupturing! To make matters worse, the tank was also prone to being punctured by nearby brackets and bolts.These problems meant that minor collisions could cause the Ford Pinto to explode into a giant fireball.

Where Did Ford Screw Up?

With less than a year to go before the car hit the market, Ford engineers began looking for ways to fix this defect. A cost-benefit analysis revealed that Ford would have to pay $11 per vehicle to reinforce the Pinto’s gas tank; a cost of $137.5 million. Ford’s analysis also concluded that wrongful death and personal injury claims caused by the Pinto would cost $49 million.How did Ford respond to this calculus? It decided it would be more cost-effective to pay the settlements from claims instead of fixing the gas tanks.In 1974, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began receiving reports of explosions involving Ford Pintos and rear-end collisions. Investigations revealed that drivers showed no signs of blunt force trauma. Many victims burned to death inside their cars after their doors jammed and they became trapped.Estimates suggest 23 to 500 people died as a result of Ford Pinto gas tank explosions. Ford engineers later gave testimony during lawsuits claiming 95 percent of these deaths could have been prevented if the gas tanks had been located over the axle.

What Happened with the Ford Pinto Lawsuits?

Between the years of 1971 and 1978, Ford was hit with 50 lawsuits involving injuries or deaths caused by the Ford Pinto. Some of the stories involving these car accidents are heartbreaking.In the case of Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co., the jury tried to award $125 million in punitive damages; however, the damages were reduced by a judge to $3.5 million. A simple review of the facts of this case explains why the jury was so mad at Ford.In 1972, 13-year-old Richard Grimshaw was badly burned after riding as a passenger in a Ford Pinto. The Pinto had stalled on a freeway, and a 1962 Ford Galaxie approached from behind and was unable to slow down in time to avoid a collision. In a matter of seconds, the Pinto burst into flames. By the time emergency services had pulled Grimshaw and his driver out of the vehicle, their clothing had been burned off their bodies. The driver of the Pinto was taken to a nearby hospital where she died a few days later from severe burn injuries. Grimshaw survived, but the horrific burns he sustained caused severe disfigurement.

How Trial Lawyers Hold Companies Like Ford Accountable

Trial lawyers and their clients play an important role in exposing companies that release defective products. Without lawsuits, we may have never known the full extent of Ford’s actions involving the Pinto. Ford engineers may not have given sworn testimony that 95 percent of those killed by the Pinto would have survived if only the company had moved the gas tank. We may not have known about the ruthless calculus conducted by Ford when it weighed fixing the gas tank with paying settlements from lawsuits.Most important of all, these types of lawsuits make it cost prohibitive for a company to knowingly sale defective products. Personal injury lawsuits hold companies accountable and keep businesses from harming the public. Lawsuits put Ford, and other companies, on notice that it is never an acceptable business plan to knowing endanger people’s lives.The Texas personal injury lawyers at Mike Love & Associates, LLC are dedicated to helping the victims of defective products and negligent business practices.