Car recall lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm announce that Chrysler recently recalled more than 4,400 of its popular sports car, the Dodge Challenger, because of electrical problems that pose a fire safety hazard. The company is urging customers to immediately stop driving the car and not park them near or in any structures.
To date, about seven incidents of electrical fires have been reported, and fortunately no injuries resulted from these occurrences. The recall is affecting all 2013 models of the car equipped with a V6 engine. Due to faulty wire harnesses, the high-powered engines could reheat, short circuit, and cause a fire. Currently, about 2,500 of the Dodge models are out on the road, and about 1,900 are sitting in dealer’s lots.
Customers are urged to return the Challengers to the dealers, who will provide loaner cars while the wiring defects are corrected. Dodge Challengers with V8 engines are not affected by the recall. Owners may also contact Chrysler directly at 1.800.247.9753.
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Chrysler recently recalled nearly 2,000 of its Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avengers, also model year 2013, and also due to a possible fire hazard. The fuel tanks in these vehicles may have been assembled incorrectly, resulting in a defective gas tank. Faulty gas tanks can lead to engine stalls and fuel leakage. If it occurs while on the road, an engine stall may result in a vehicle crash, and any fuel leakage, if in the presence of a source of ignition, may result in fire. Owners of these models will be able to have their control valves replaced free of charge.
In 2012, the Office of Defects Investigation opened a probe into Mercedes-Benz based on 20 consumer reports of fuel leaks and strong odors of gasoline inside E55 AMG models. In total, nearly 7,000 vehicles were affected with model years between 2003 and 2006. There were almost 200 complaints of fuel leakage by the end of the investigation, alleging the seepage resulted in liquid fuel pooling or spraying on other vehicle components.
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Also currently under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are 1.3 million Ford, Toyota, and Honda’s. Toyota has already recalled one million vehicles so far in 2013, and has agreed to pay more than $1 billion to settle lawsuits stemming from the sudden acceleration defects. At least 90 people were killed and 60 others were injured due to these defects in 2012, prompting multi-district litigation.
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In a larger and potentially more dangerous fuel engine recall, nearly 90,000 Ford Escape and Fusion models were recalled in December 2012 after 13 fires were reported. This marked the fourth Ford Escape recall since the vehicle was introduced. In fact, since 2009, Ford has recalled more vehicles than any other automaker.
The Escape was recently redesigned, and is considered one of the most affordable compact SUVs. The recalled 2013 Fusion was also only recently released onto American markets, with a new 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, which is the source of these December recalls.
Owners who experienced an engine fire stated that the event was preceded by high engine temperatures, which may manifest through indicative messages on the instrument cluster. Some owners also said their instrument clusters would sound a chime and turn on a red light as a warning.
Defective car lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will continue to report on any significant vehicle recalls and federal investigations happening throughout the country. If you were involved in an auto accident due to a faulty vehicle, you may be entitled to significant compensation for any medical bills, lost wages, economic losses, and pain and suffering.
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