New Jersey Personal Injury Blog
Category – Air Bag Defect
Toyota Recalls Almost 500,000 Vehicles due to Air Bag Defect
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Toyota Motor North America, Inc. is recalling 495,470 vehicles due to a defect in the driver’s side air bag. Over time, the spiral cable assembly, also known as the clockspring, which powers the driver’s side air bag module may become damaged by steering wheel vibration. If such damage occurs, the air bag warning light will turn on and the air bag may deactivate and fail to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of suffering serious injury.
This recall affects model year 2005-2009 Tacoma vehicles that were manufactured from September 14, 2004 through August 29, 2008. Toyota will notify owners of the recalled vehicles and dealers will replace the defective spiral cable assembly at no-cost. The recall is expected to start at the beginning of April 2012. For additional information, owners can call Toyota at (800) 331-4331.
Air bags are important safety features of a vehicle. When functioning properly, they can effectively protect vehicle occupants from serious injury. However, air bags which are defective or malfunctioning increase the risk of injury. In some cases, defects may cause an air bag to deploy inadvertently, in which case the injuries a vehicle occupant suffers may be directly caused by the air bag. If the air bag fails to deploy entirely, then the vehicle occupant is not adequately protected against the force of a crash.
If you or a loved one has been injured in New Jersey as the result of a defective air bag, the experienced New Jersey defective air bag attorneys at Blume Goldfaden can examine the details of your accident in order to determine whether you may have a valid claim against the vehicle’s manufacturer. To find out whether your potential claim may have merit, call us at (973) 6350-5400 for a no-cost consultation.
NHTSA Announces Recall of Honda Vehicles due to Air Bag Defect
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the American Honda Motor Company is recalling 974 vehicles due to a defect in the passenger-side or driver-side side curtain airbag inflator, which may fail to deploy in a collision. Airbag deployment failure increases the risk of serious injury in the event of an auto accident. The recall involves model year 2012 Crosstour, Accord, Civic, and Acura MDX vehicles.
Honda will replace the passenger-side or driver-side side curtain airbag as necessary at no-cost. For additional information, owners can call Honda at (800) 999-1009 and/or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.
Airbags are essential pieces of safety equipment and can protect vehicle occupants from serious injury in the case of an accident. However, when airbags malfunction or are otherwise defective, they not only may fail to protect the vehicle occupants from injury in a crash, but may also potentially cause injuries themselves. Failure to deploy and inadvertent deployment are the most common defects associated with airbags and can result in serious injuries.
When a consumer buys a car, he or she trusts that it has been sufficiently safety tested and that every component is in proper working order and designed/fit for the purpose intended. Manufacturers rely upon that trust of consumers, and need to produce their products comporting with safety and other industry standards so that they function properly and safely.
If you have been injured as the result of an airbag defect, you may be able to pursue compensation for the losses you have suffered. Contact the experienced airbag defect lawyers in New Jersey at Blume Goldfaden to determine whether your potential claim may have merit, at (973) 635-5400.
Honda Expands Recall to Over 1.5 Million Vehicles due to Airbag Defect
The American Honda Motor Company, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has expanded the recall of vehicles affected by a defective front airbag to approximately 1,709,477 vehicles. The original recall began at the end of June 2011.
This recall is result of a defective driver’s side airbag inflator, which, in the event of a crash requiring deployment of the airbag, could inflate with an inordinate amount of internal pressure. Subsequently, the pressure could cause the inflator to rupture and release metal fragments that can strike and injure the driver and other vehicle occupants. The vehicles included in this recall include the:
- 2003 Acura CL
- 2002-2003 Acura TL
- 2001-2002 Honda Accord
- 2001-2003 Honda Civic
- 2002-2003 Honda CR-V
- 2001-2003 Honda Odyssey
- 2003 Honda Pilot
Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified and dealers will inspect vehicles for a defective airbag inflator and replace it, if necessary, at no-cost. Owners of vehicles in the expanded recall will be notified this month. For additional information, owners may call Honda at (800) 999-1009. This recall is related to the following recall campaign numbers: 08V-593, 09V-259, and 10V-041.
The purpose of airbags is to provide the driver and passengers with a level of safety in the event of a crash. Safety features must operate correctly, be fit for the purpose intended, and not create hazards themselves by their very use.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective airbag, contact the experienced New Jersey air bag defect lawyers at Blume Goldfaden to learn more about your legal rights and options. We have successfully obtained settlements and verdicts for clients with meritorious claims and can help you determine if your claim may be viable to pursue. Call (973) 635-5400 for a no-cost consultation.