There has been a recent proliferation of lawsuits being filed against major auto manufacturers for defects with their vehicles. The most recent, high profile situation involves Toyota Motor Corporation, which has recalled almost 20 million cars this year due to problems with involuntary acceleration. In fact, The Dallas Morning News reports that coupled with more systemic financial woes affecting most major auto manufacturers, juries may be inclined to award large settlements to plaintiffs in these cases.
Lawsuits against auto manufacturers had been on a downward trend the last few years, owing in part to the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler. However, the industry’s economic recovery in recent months has spurred a renewed wave of defect-related lawsuits. The last major wave of these types of suits coincided with the Ford and Firestone tire recall in 1998.
Government agency sanctioned recalls lend further strength to defect-related lawsuits, as plaintiffs are able to use manufacturer response time to consumer complaints during litigation. The increase in consumer lawsuits will almost certainly encourage car companies to tighten safety monitoring in the hopes of avoiding further financial losses in the future.
If you believe your car suffers from a manufacturing-related defect, you may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer. The knowledgeable California lemon law attorneys at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver have the experience and skill to defend your rights and ensure that you are adequately compensated. Call our offices today for a free consultation about your case at (866) 46-LEMON.
The Kia Soul is currently under investigation for a possible manufacturing defect that could result in complete loss of driver steering and limited braking capabilities, Reuters reports. The NHTSA received a complaint from an owner of a two-month-old Soul that the steering shaft detached from the steering wheel of the vehicle, completely inhibiting the driver’s ability to steer. The broken shaft fell to the driver’s side floor and blocked the vehicle’s brake pedal, further compounding the car’s loss of control.
The NHTSA often waits until receiving multiple complaints about similar defects before launching a preliminary investigation. However, the agency determined that this particular case warranted pre-emptive action because the vehicle was so new and had so little use, and the problem was unlikely to have been caused by excessive wear to the part.
Kia, which is an affiliate of the Korea-based Hyundai Motor Company, has indicated that it is fully cooperating with the NHTSA investigation and is committed to ensuring the safety of all Kia vehicles. If a recall were issued, it would cover more than 51,000 vehicles.
California residents are protected by some of the most comprehensive and strongest consumer protection laws in the United States. Under these laws, a new car owner who has been sold a defective product may be entitled to free repairs, a refund or, in some cases, a replacement vehicle. If your new car has required repeated repairs and the problem has not been able to be fixed, contact the Southern California auto lemon law attorneys at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver for a free consultation about your case by calling (866) 46-LEMON.
The recent spate of Toyota safety recalls has gripped the nation over the last several months, and jeopardized Toyota’s industry reputation. Vehicle safety is vigorously policed by organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and strict requirements are placed on car manufacturers to announce any product defects resulting in safety hazards to consumers.
However, defects that affect only product quality, and don’t pose any significant safety risks, often fly under the radar. Car companies will typically issue a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) when a problem is recurrent for a particular model. These bulletins notify technicians to look out for these problems. A TSB-affected repair will often be free under warranty.
Although TSBs rarely escalate to full-blown safety recalls, consumers may question the quality of a vehicle with multiple reported TSBs.
NHTSA keeps records of all TSBs. So far this year, AutomoBlog.net reports that the Kia Forte has registered the most bulletins, with 15 as of June 11th. The GMC Terrain and the Mercedes S-Class followed with 14 and 13 registered TSB’s, respectively.
A high number of registered TSB’s does not necessarily indicate a poor-quality car. Often these models represent new territory for a manufacturer, and will improve as the company learns from its mistakes. For example, the Kia Forte was Kia’s first attempt to market directly to younger buyers with a more modern design aesthetic.
If your recently purchased car seems to require an abnormally high number of repairs, the issues may be caused by a defect registered with a TSB and should be covered by the manufacturer. If you think you are entitled to money for past repairs, call the California lemon law lawyers at Howard D. Silver for a free consultation about your case: (866)-49-LEMON.
