- Auto Accident Injury
- Auto Deaths
- Back Injuries
- Brain Injury
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- Catastrophic Injury
- Closed Head Injury
- Design Manufacturing
- Fuel Fed Fire Injury
- Head Injuries
- Occupant Ejections
- Paralysis
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Roof Crush Injury
- Seat Belt Injuries
- Tempered Glass
- Tire Blow Out Injury
- Trailer Sway
- Traumatic Head Injury
Faulty ignition
A faulty ignition can cause a vehicle to stall while in motion, posing a major threat to the vehicle's occupants and other individuals in the vicinity. A faulty ignition switch can also cause a vehicle to ignite into flames, starting fire to the steering column or other surrounding components. Millions of cars made by a few prominent vehicle manufacturers have the potential to catch fire as a result of a faulty ignition switch. In some cases, the faulty ignition has led the company to issue a recall of the affected automobiles, in others the companies have not taken such actions, thereby placing consumers at risk for significant property damage, physical injury, and even loss of life in the event that a faulty ignition sparks fire in a vehicle.
In 1996 Ford recalled 8.7 million American Ford vehicles because of a faulty ignition switch that posed the risk of catching fire. The recall came after several major reports were published indicating the serious risks associated. One report indicated that 23 million Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles built between 1984 and 1993, with the exception of the Taurus and the Sable, were at risk of fire caused by a faulty ignition.
Prior to the US recall, Ford had recalled nearly 250,000 vehicles in Canada for faulty ignition devises. The company insisted that the problem did not affect the American vehicles, contrary to numerous reports of defects and injuries reported by American Ford owners. The cost of replacing the faulty ignition switch was estimated at about $100. The cost involved in replacing these faulty ignition devises undoubtedly contributed to Ford's resistance about the recall. Many pundits have accused Ford of putting corporate gain over consumer safety in light of this and other major recalls issued by Ford in the last decade.
In 2002 there was some legitimate concern over Honda and Acura models in China due to faulty ignition switches that had the potential to cause the car to stall. The Beijing branch of Honda announced preparations for a recall to repair or replace the faulty ignition switches in thousands of Hondas in China. Some experts felt the faulty ignition problem might also be an issue in American Honda vehicles, with some estimates of 1.34 million American vehicles potentially affected. In fact, in 2003 Honda issued a major US recall of some 1997 to 2000 models of the Accord, Civic, Prelude, CRV, and Odyssey, and some 1997 to 1999 Acura CL coupes and 1999 TL sedans.
Consumer complaints have also been made to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration about other manufacturer's vehicles that have had problems with faulty ignition devices. These faulty ignition devices can pose a major threat to American consumers, a threat which can be concealed by automakers in order to avoid the cost of fixing these defective parts. When a faulty ignition causes a vehicle to stall in motion, it can propel the vehicle into a fixed object or another vehicle. When a faulty ignition devise causes a fire the lives of all involved parties are at stake. If you or a loved one has suffered damages and suffering as a result of a faulty ignition vehicle devise, please contact us to speak with a qualified and experienced attorney who can evaluate your case to determine how best to protect your legal rights and options.
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