Car Part Defects

Officials with the federal government and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have been looking into automatic shift lever problems with certain General Motors (GM) vehicles that have resulted in at least seven crashes.

The NHTSA investigation started when it became aware of similar problems with GM’s Saturn Azura from 2007 to 2009, which affected almost 89,000 cars. The agency is currently examining to see if the issues affect other vehicles in the General Motors stable. The models under review include 2004 to 2008 Chevy Malibus and the Pontiac G6 (from 2005 to 2008), according to NHTSA documents.

In affected vehicles, the protective casing that guards the floor shift lever for the transmission can potentially corrode, subjecting the cables to abrasive elements. This may cause a car to slip into the wrong gear, or fail to shift entirely.

NHTSA said it had been notified of three crashes (there are officially four filed with GM currently) that were caused by the shift lever problem and one instance of personal injury. In the injury case, a driver put the vehicle in park, exited the car, and was struck by the car when it rolled backwards. Another incident occurred when a driver put the car in park but the transmission stayed in reverse, sending the car backwards into a collision with a building.

No one ever expects that their vehicle will have a problem that you can’t fix. However, vehicle flaws and defects do happen and often persist even after many repair attempts. If you think your vehicle is a lemon, call the Los Angeles lemon law attorney Howard D. Silver at (866) 49-LEMON for a free review of your problem.

On the heels of a consistent string of recalls during the last few weeks, where foreign car makers called back over 800,000 vehicles for various defects, another large one is looming, this time from America’s Jeep (under the Chrysler umbrella). Although the approximately 200,000 Jeep Liberty Sport Utility Vehicles in question have not been recalled yet by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), the agency announced that it was upgrading its examination of the vehicles for potentially severe rusting problems.

The Traffic Safety Administration is looking at 2004 to 2005 model year cars. This is in addition to a previous examination of rusting problems with cars from the 2002 to 2005 model years. The NHSTA said there were 22 incident reports involving vehicle rust, and three accounts of a malfunction of the bottom control arm due to corrosion resulting in an erosion of steering control. Every one of the reports originated from states that have cold winters with snow and salt exposure. Finally, although Jeep reported as many as 95 warranty claims as a result of the problem, the carmaker is unaware of any related accidents or injuries.

If you think your car is a lemon on account of unexplained rust or some other type of non-repairable defect, contact consumer advocate and California lemon lawyer Howard D. Silver at 1-866-49-LEMON for a free consultation today.

According to NorthJersey.com, a man from Florida is suing BMW over a defective fuel pump. Filed on October 27, the lawsuit alleges that the defect caused the man’s leased 335I to decelerate suddenly, putting him at risk of a traffic accident.

The New Jersey lawsuit claims that the manufacturer was aware of the defect but rather than issue a recall, kept the problem quiet. It claims that BMW marketed the 335i as having a technologically advanced fuel pump that would get rid of “turbo lag,” which is a delay in gaining speed and power that affects other turbo engines. The suit blames BMW for failing to disclose that the vehicle could potentially lose power and come to an unexpected stop under regular driving conditions. Additionally, the suit states that thousands of other BMW consumers have reported the failure but that the company has failed to issue a recall. Finally, the lawsuit alleges that BMW violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

The day prior to filing the lawsuit, BMW voluntary announced a recall of over 130,000 of its motor vehicles, including the Florida man’s model. The recall came after an ABC News investigation and the possibility that BMW vehicles could be equipped with faulty fuel pumps, which could potentially cause the vehicle to “experience reduced engine performance.” BMW reports that at least 40,000 of the motor vehicles affected by the recall will likely be in need of a replacement fuel pump. According to the company, no injuries related to the defect in the recalled vehicles have been reported.

The models affected by the BMW recall are the 2009 and 2010 Z4 Roadster sDrive 35I; 2007 to 2010 335I; and 2008 to 2010 135I, 535I, and X6 xDrive 35I sports activity coupes.

No matter their location, car manufacturers have a duty to sell vehicles that don’t put consumers at unnecessary risks for traffic accidents. They should also produce vehicles that are defect-free. In addition to the rights provided to consumers by federal recall standards, California has tough consumer protection laws. If you have purchased a motor vehicle that cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, you may have a lemon vehicle, entitling you to a replacement car or your money back.

Howard D. Silver is a highly experienced and skilled California lemon law attorney. If you have been affected by car fraud, vehicle recalls, or lemon vehicles, call Mr. Silver today at 866-49-LEMON to learn about how he can protect your rights as a consumer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into several complaints about electronic malfunctions in Volvo SUVs, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. There have been 21 complaints related to the 2004 and 2005 model Volvo XC90s concerning intermittent malfunctions with electronic components such as headlights and turn signals. The malfunctions have been shown to disappear once the unit controlling the car’s electronic parts is replaced, lending credence to the claim that the specific malfunctions can be tied to the cars’ master electronic control system, and not to individual failures of each of the cars’ electronic parts.

Although the stipulated defects have not been linked to any crashes or injuries, they still pose a safety risk and may increase the possibility of serious accidents. The estimated number of cars potentially affected by the investigation is 93,487. However, no recalls have been announced. 2005 Volvo XC90s were already in 2007 due to a problem with the vehicle’s battery that posed a risk of short circuiting and causing fires.

If you have recently purchased a vehicle that seems to require an uncharacteristically high number of repairs, you may have been sold a lemon vehicle. Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, you may be entitled to a refund or a replacement car after a reasonable number of repair attempts. To learn more about your rights, call skilled California lemon law attorney Howard D. Silver at 866-49-LEMON or refer to Mr. Silver’s California lemon law reference guide.

Toyota Motor Corp. is facing a new vehicle defect issue, according to a businessweek.com article. Reportedly, the auto giant has been subpoenaed by a New York federal grand jury to provide documentation regarding flaws in steering relay rods. Previously, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation of the defective steering rods. The subpoena comes after nearly 1 million Toyota vehicles were recalled in the United States due to defective steering rods in 2005.

Regardless of the severity of a vehicle defect that occurs during the warranty period, manufacturers have an obligation to repair the defect in a timely manner and at no cost to the consumer. According to the California lemon law, a vehicle may be a lemon if a safety defect cannot be repaired after two attempts.

For more information on how to protect your rights as a consumer, please contact skilled Inland Empire lemon law attorney Howard D. Silver at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver. Call 866-49-LEMON today for a free consultation.