When people think of car accidents, they often imagine a negligent driver, doing something reckless or careless, such as texting and driving, resulting in them running into another vehicle. However, there are cases of car accidents or injuries that happen in a vehicle that is not the fault of the driver or another individual in the car. These injuries and accidents are caused due to a defect within the vehicle.
Vehicle defects are more common than expected. Each year, millions of vehicles are recalled due to some sort of issue in the manufacturing or design process. These issues range from airbag malfunctions to poorly constructed wheel bearings, or even electrical problems that affect the lights. When you or a loved one is injured due to the defect of a vehicle vs. poor decisions while driving by you or another party, then trying to find compensation can be tricky. Product liability laws protect consumers from injuries they receive due to a faulty product.
However, to protect manufacturers and designers, if a company issues a recall on a known defect for a product, the liability then falls back to the owner of the vehicle or product. This is because the manufacturer did their job in trying to warn and correct the issue, but the driver either ignored the warning or failed to act.
To protect the individuals of Dallas, Amarillo, and Abilene, Texas, the team of car accident and product liability attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. has gathered some of the most recent recalls on vehicles. If your vehicle is on this list, we highly recommend you take it to your nearest dealership to allow them to correct the mistake. These services are at no cost to the owner of the vehicle. Here is the most current list:
The 2022-2023 Audi A8 and S8 Recall
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc is recalling certain 2022-2023 S8 and A8 Audi vehicles. These vehicles suffered a defect during the assembly process, where the front-passenger airbag’s front protection flap was folded incorrectly. Due to the mistake, the vehicles fail to comply with the requirement of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208.
What Are the Consequences of This Defect?
Vehicles that suffered this defect may have the airbag deployed with too much force during an accident, which increases the risk of injury to the person seated in the front passenger seat.
What Is the Proposed Fix?
The dealer has agreed to replace the front-passenger airbag module, free of charge. Owners of the defective vehicle will be sent a notification in the mail by April 14, 2023, at the earliest.
2019-2021 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Recall
Certain Mercedes-Benz 2019-2021 G550 and AMG G63 vehicles are being recalled due to an issue with the front axle wiring harness. This issue causes the harness to chafe against an oil cooler, damaging the harness which can result in the loss of anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control.
What Are the Consequences of This Defect?
This defect has been known to cause the loss of anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control, which increases the risk of an accident.
What Is the Proposed Fix for This Defect?
All Mercedes-Benz dealers will inspect and install a protective sleeve over the harness or completely replace the front axle wiring harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are being mailed out by April 18th, 2023 at the earliest.
Hyundai Genesis Seat Belt Recall
Hyundai Motor America is recalling the following vehicle lines:
- 2020-2023 Genesis GV80
- 2021-2023 Genesis G80
- 2022-2023 Genesis GV70
- 2023 Genesis GV60
These vehicles have a defect that occurs during a crash, where the front seat belt pre-tensioners may explode upon deployment.
What Are the Consequences of This Defect?
This defect has been shown to cause the belt pretensions to explode, which sent metal fragments into the vehicle and occupants and resulted in serious damage and injury.
What Is the Proposed Remedy for This Defect
Hyundai dealers are securing all seat-belt pre-tensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owners of the affected vehicles will be getting a notification letter sent to them in the mail by April 17th, 2023.
The 2021-2023 Ram 1500 and 2023 2500 Recall
Chrysler has issued a recall on certain vehicles under the 2021-2023 Ram 1500 and 2023 Ram 2500 lines. These vehicles have a trailer reverse steering control module installed but these modules are showing a defect where the rearview mirror image is not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles are not complying with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111, rear visibility.
What Is the Consequence of This Defect?
When the rearview mirror image is not displaying properly, the driver’s visibility is greatly affected, which increases the risk of an accident and injury.
What Is the Proposed Fix to this Defect?
Chrysler Dealerships will update the trailer reverse steering control module for free. Owners of the affected vehicles were mailed a letter explaining the defect and a plan to fix it by March 31st, 2023.
Nissan Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and Quest Vehicle Recall
Nissan North America, Inc has issued a recall on the following vehicles:
- 2008-2009 Quest
- 2008-2011 Armada
- 2008-2011 Frontier
- 2008-2011 Pathfinder
- 2008-2011 Titan
- 2008-2011 Xterra
The resin emblem on the driver’s side airbag cover is prone to develop cracks and become detached during the airbag deployment.
What Is the Consequence of This Defect?
The detached emblem has the potential to become a projectile when the airbag deploys, which increases the risk of injury to the vehicle’s passengers.
What Is the Proposed Fix for This Defect?
The remedy for this issue is currently under development by the manufacturer. Letters to notify the owners of these vehicles will be mailed out on April 10, 2023. A second letter will be mailed out when they have a fix for this issue.
2023 Subaru Solterra Recall
Subaru of America is recalling their 2023 Solterra Vehicles due to improperly tightened hub bolts. These bolts may loosen due to the vibrations of the vehicle which can cause the wheels to detach from the vehicle.
What Is the Consequence of This Defect?
The loosened hub bolts can result in wheel detachment and cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, significantly increasing the risk of an accident.
What Is the Proposed Remedy for This Defect?
Owners of this vehicle are strongly advised against driving their car until a repair has been completed. All dealers will inspect and tighten the hub bolts for free on all vehicles. Owner notification letters were sent out on March 1st, 2023.
How Do I Know If My Vehicle Has Been Affected by a Recall?
The best way to check if your vehicle has an active recall on it is to run it through the safety issues and recall service on the NHTSA website. All you need to do is enter your vehicle’s identification number (VIN) into the search bar. There is an outline on the website on how to locate your vehicle’s VIN if you are unsure of where to find it.
What Do I Do If I Was in an Accident With a Vehicle That Was Recalled?
If you or a loved one was involved in an accident that was caused due to the defect of the vehicle, either the driver of that vehicle or the manufacturer is at fault. If the vehicle has a known defect and the owner of the vehicle was notified or has been attempted to be notified, then it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the car was fixed. However, if the defect was never detected until now, then the manufacturer may be responsible for the damages and your medical expenses.
In either case, it is important to have a competent car accident attorney on your side so you know how to seek out the compensation you deserve. Both parties may try to use their insurance company to bully you into taking a settlement that is lower than what you deserve. The team at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. will not let that happen. We will fight hard for you and act as your advocate in a court of law to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Contact our team for information on our services or to schedule an appointment with our legal team today to go over the facts of your case.
Car Recalls FAQs:
One of the best sites you can use to check if your vehicle has been recalled is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s site. It can be found here: NHTSA.gov/recalls
All you need to do is search your VIN number in their form and it will give you information on whether there is a safety recall currently affecting your vehicle.
Currently, Tesla has been identified as the most recalled brand. Currently, they have four models being recalled, the Model 3, Model Y, and Mode S.