Chicago Accident Lawyer Blog
The Chicago Auto Accident Injury Attorneys, of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C., take note of several recent vehicle recalls affecting more than a million vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. The recalls involve later-models of the Ford Fusion, Fiesta, Edge, Focus, Transit Connect, F150, and Lincoln MKZ. Problems include door latch issues that prevent doors from latching properly or that can come unlatched while driving; steering gear motor components susceptible of corrosion, which can cause loss of power steering; faulty fuel pumps that can cause the car to stall; underbody heat shield issue that can cause fire; and parking lamp software issues.
Ford’s most recent recall announcements follow a previous set of recalls issued in September and November of 2014, also affecting about a million Ford manufactured vehicles, including 2014-2015 Transit Connects; 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Cars, 2014 F150s and Flex vehicles; and 2013-2014 Ford Escape, C-Max, Fusion, Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These recalls include fuel and vapor line problems that can cause fire; faulty fuel filter brackets that can cause stalling; steering shaft issues that can result in loss of steering; improperly adjusted brake pedals that can cause a delay or failure in the illumination of brake lights; passenger seat sensor problems that can result in non-deployment of airbags; and restraint control module issues that can cause airbags and seat-belt tensioners to function improperly.
With recalls steadily on the rise, consumers are reminded to check for recalls, and do so often. Motorists should keep in mind that there are a number of factors that can cause an individual to overlook an important safety recall. In example, the sheer quantity of recalls in recent years, have made recalls announcements in the media so commonplace that many consumers no longer afford such reports with the attention they deserve.
Likewise, when a particular automaker issues several separate recalls in a short period of time, it can be easy for consumers to miss a recall announcement, because they may not be aware of other recalls issued by the same manufacturer. While in some cases, the simultaneous issuance of numerous recalls can serve practical purposes (i.e. when there are two or more recalls affecting a single vehicle type)—it also seems quite plausible that automakers often engage in the practice of grouping recalls together in order to reduce the impact that recall announcements have on consumers’ perception on a particular vehicle make or model.
An additional problem that can cause recalls to go unnoticed, and therefore unrepaired, is that many are often expanded to include more vehicles than were included in initial reports, as was the case with Ford’s door latch recall. Also, prior safety recalls can be repaired improperly, resulting in a subsequent recall for either the same component, or one related to, the issue(s) associated with the initial recall. Further, the method of repairing one safety recall, can lead to another safety issue, as was the case with Ford’s 2014 steering shaft recall.
Whether you own a Ford, or another type of vehicle, motorists are encouraged to both register their vehicles with the manufacturer to receive recall notifications—and also—visit safercar.gov on a regular basis to ensure that they do not miss important vehicle recalls that can affect the safety of drivers, passengers, and other persons that share the roadway.