Our Illinois car accident lawyers are warning of defective parts in certain cars that pose serious safety issues.
Recently Honda announced plans to recall over 820,000 Pilot SUVs and Civic compact cars due to the possibility of headlight failure. It appears that the wires in a switch controlling the headlights and turn signals could get too hot and melt. This is dangerous because it might cut out the low-beam headlights.
The recall affects Pilots from the 2004 and 2005 model years and Civics from 2002 and 2003. A similar recall was announced earlier this year which affected over 550,000 Pilots and SUVs.
Honda also recently recalled about 600,000 Accords with defective power steering hoses. According to the Huffington Post, the flawed power steering hose may leak fluid and start a fire. The cars affected by the recall are Accords with V6 engines sold in the U.S. and Canada from the 2003 to 2007 model years.
Traffic safety officials caution that extended exposure to engine heat could damage the car’s power steering hose, causing it to leak or crack. This in turn could result in a fire or cause the power-assisted steering to fail.
A Honda spokesman said that any owner who thinks the hose is leaking should immediately take the car to a seller for inspection. The company will change faulty hoses free of charge, though the replacement parts will not be available until 2013.
Chrysler Group LLC is also recalling over 44,000 pickup trucks because of a faulty rear-axle pinion nut that could become loose and cause the driver of the vehicle to lose control.
The affected pickups are the Dodge Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota from model years 2009 and 2010. According to papers filed with the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), the rear-axle nut could become loose because of a lack of adhesive.
Vehicle glitches increase the possibilities of a crash and lead to more serious injuries. Drivers and passengers could suffer serious harm if there are problems related to the acceleration, brake systems, and rollovers.
Acceleration-related faults can lead to a dangerous spontaneous acceleration when the vehicle is at a complete stop or in motion.
Brake system issues relate to failure of individual parts, design flaws or incorrect installation. Rotors, hydraulic lines, calipers and discs are some of the parts of a brake system that may fail.
Rollovers may be triggered by faulty tires or design flaws. A tire issue may crop up all of a sudden, resulting in a rollover even in ordinary driving conditions. SUVs,
pick-up trucks, and minivans stand a higher chance of rolling because of their high center of gravity.
Filing a Defective Car Part Claim
“Crashworthiness” refers to a vehicle’s ability to protect occupants if a crash occurs. Vehicle defects that interfere with crashworthiness do not increase the odds of an accident, but they do increase the potential severity of the injury.
In a faulty car part case, you may have to establish that a defective design feature was avoidable to the extent that it caused the injury or increased the possibility of the injury. In some cases. a particular safety device should have been used. A competent car accident attorney can explain your rights and guide you through the legal process.
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