Even though lemon vehicles are widespread, they rarely make big headlines. Despite the National Highway Traffic Safety Association estimating roughly 150,000 Americans purchase defective cars every year, you don’t hear a lot about it. Many Americans see a defective vehicle as just another hassle other people have to deal with. Those who actually suffer from a defective vehicle would tell you a different story—a story full of headache and heartache, unexpected expenses ranging from towing to rental cars, and the frustration involved trying to get a manufacturer to do the right thing.
The problems that make cars “lemons” can range from innocuous quirks like weird odors or unidentifiable sounds to major, potentially lethal problems with the engine or safety systems. These problems can arise from any number of origins, including problems during manufacturing, transport from factory to dealership, or even design flaws before the vehicle was even built. No matter what caused the problem, the manufacturer must make the consumer whole. Luckily, lemon law attorneys know how to leverage both state and federal lemon laws to get them the compensation they deserve.
Sometimes, however, recalls become so widespread they cannot help but attract the attention of mass media outlets. Whether because of their sheer size or the danger posed, recalls can occasionally break through the din of regular news and become a major scandal. These recalls are governed by lemon laws just as much as smaller-scale ones, and affected drivers can seek recourse by contacting a lemon law attorney.
For more information on arbitration and other frequently asked lemon law questions, click here.
The Takata Recall
The biggest, most complex and widespread recall in automotive history involved Takata airbags. Automakers around the world recalled vehicles containing defective Takata airbag systems implicated in several deaths and injuries. Per recent reports, the Takata airbag deployment systems used ammonium nitrate airbag inflators that could degrade and possibly rupture during a crash. This rupture could launch metal shards into the passenger compartment during a crash, turning the safety system into a fragmentation explosive. The airbags were found to be potentially responsible for 11 deaths and 180 injuries and were found in more than 42 million vehicles in America.
Reuters reported Takata pleaded guilty to wire fraud and agreed to pay criminal penalties of $1 billion because of their conduct.
Dieselgate
Another recall that made worldwide news was Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate” scandal. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in September 2015 Volkswagen violated the Clean Air Act by using software to work around emissions testing. The software would make the vehicle’s diesel engines activate their emissions controls when the vehicle was being tested, and not during normal operation. As the news spread, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned, and the company’s stock tumbled. He was later charged by U.S. officials with fraud and conspiracy. The company had to recall more than 10 million vehicles built between 2009 and 2015, and as of 2020 the company lost $33.3 billion in penalties, fines, buyback costs and financial settlements.
Ford Pinto
The Ford Motor Company sold the Ford Pinto in North America from 1971 to 1980. It was the first subcompact vehicle produced by Ford in North America, going up against the Volkswagen Beetle, Toyota Corolla and Datsun 510. Ford built more than 3 million vehicles which received middling reviews at the time. However, the worst was still to come for the Ford Pinto.
Designers placed the Pinto’s fuel tank between the rear axle and the rear bumper, making it vulnerable to fuel leaks and fires at even low-speed rear collisions. The Pinto’s lack of reinforcement in the rear and a weaker rear bumper exacerbated the problem. A cost-benefit analysis Ford submitted to the NHTSA stated it would cost $137 million to modify vehicles to be resistant to fuel system fires, more than Ford claimed society would save by saving the lives otherwise lost in these accidents. Mother Jones journalist Mark Dowie claimed Ford was trading profits for lives, even though the report included all manufacturers vehicles and not just Ford.
Ford eventually issued a recall for 1.5 million Ford Pintos and Mercury Bobcats, which was the largest recall in American history up to then. Ford ended up paying out $127.8 million in damages in Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co. and ended up facing criminal charges in Indiana v. Ford Motor Co. Journalists for Automotive News would later write the Pinto scandal was the low point for Ford’s reputation.
General Motors ignition switch recall
General Motors made the news in February 2014 for reasons they likely wished they hadn’t. The company announced a recall of 800,000 vehicles on February 6, 2014 after finding their ignition switches could shut the engine off while the vehicle was in motion, disabling the airbags and endangering the occupants. The recall began with the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5, expanding on March 31 of that year to include 1.5 million more cars because of power steering issues. Eventually, GM recalled 30 million cars in total for the problem. Investigators found the ignition switches would power off in specific vibrational environments, or even if the keychains attached to the keys in the ignition were too heavy.
GM eventually compensated families for 124 deaths and paid $35 million in fines.
Firestone Tires
Tire company Firestone and the Ford Motor Company made headlines in the mid 1990s after the former’s tires were found to separate and fail, causing crashes that killed 238 people in the United States alone.
The Arizona state government notified Firestone in 1996 its tires were coming apart in high temperature environments. A few years later, a researcher from State Farm Insurance discovered 21 crashes caused by Firestone tires disintegrating. The problem finally became well known in 2000, when a television station in Houston ran a story on 30 deaths caused by tire failures on Ford Explorers. The company eventually paid out $1.67 billion in lawsuits, fines and other settlements.
Whether or not your vehicle makes the news for a recall or it’s a defect affecting only you, you deserve legal protection and compensation. The attorneys of Allen Stewart P.C. have the knowledge and tools needed to take the fight against manufacturers and get you justice. The sooner you reach out, the better your chances of a successful claim. Contact Allen Stewart P.C. today.
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