Vehicle Recalls Caused by Auto Manufacturer Defects

Vehicle Recalls Caused by Auto Manufacturer Defects

As Dallas auto accident lawyers, Greg Marks and Michael Guajardo know that a number of serious car wrecks which result in either personal injury or wrongful death aren't necessarily the result of a negligent driver, but actually the result of a problem with the vehicle itself. Motor vehicle defects are a very real public safety hazard, as is demonstrated by the fact that within the past few years there have been so many mass recalls of cars, trucks and motorcycles from some of the nation's most popular auto manufacturers including Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.

Many times an auto recall is issued because of a defect with a piece of safety equipment which malfunctions and doesn't do the job it was intended to do. For example, if it is learned that the driver's air bag regularly fails to deploy in head-on collisions, there is far more chance of the driver being fatally injured in a traffic wreck. Other times, however, the recall could be instigated by a defect which could actually increase the chance of that particular make and model vehicle being involved in a crash. This was the case with the infamous Toyota recall which affected a number of vehicles including certain Corolla, RAV4, Tundra and Highlander models when a design defect caused the gas pedal to stick while driving.

In order to protect your family's safety, it is important that you stay informed of any safety concerns or recall information regarding your vehicles. If you bought your car brand new from the dealership, the manufacturer should contact you directly to notify you of any recall. If you bought a used car, it is wise to register your vehicle's make, model and year with the government-run website Safecar.gov. If a recall for your specific vehicle is issued by the manufacturer, you'll receive an email detailing the reasons for the recall and information to let you know whether your safety is at risk.

If your car, truck or motorcycle is affected by a manufacturer's recall, it is important that you take your car back to the dealership to get the error corrected as soon as possible. The longer you continue to drive around without addressing the potential problem, the more at risk you are from suffering serious bodily injuries in the event of a crash. As Dallas motor vehicle defect attorneys, we know that there is often considerable lag time between a global recall being reported in the media and individual customers receiving warning letters from the manufacturer. Do not delay. If you know your vehicle is at risk, get it checked out.

It is always important that you take recall notices seriously. Even if you personally have not experienced any problems, you should not assume that your vehicle is problem free. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 30 percent of auto owners neglect to get their vehicles corrected when an issue arises which demands a recall. Don't be one of them. If a recall notice is issued, the manufacturer and the dealership should cover all necessary repair costs. If you ignore it, you could find yourself in a tragic wreck which could have been prevented.
For a FREE consultation, please call the Dallas personal injury lawyers at 972.774.9800.