Take Action on Recalls to Keep Safe
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently issued a press release urging vehicle owners to immediately take action on recalls when they are notified of a vehicle or equipment safety defect. Taking appropriate action means contacting your vehicle manufacturer’s local dealership to promptly schedule a free repair. This press release was issued because, despite public warnings of recall notices, a significant number of affected vehicles are never taken in for repairs.
In 2019, there were close to 1,000 safety recalls that affected more than 50 million vehicles and vehicle equipment items in the United States. Some of these high-profile recalls illustrate the importance of taking immediate action to repair:
- Takata Air Bags: The recall of Takata airbags represents the biggest recall in United States history, including tens of millions of vehicles equipped with these airbags. More can be read about this issue here: Takata Makes Massive Airbag Safety Recall.
- Harbor Freight Jack Stands: This recall of more than 1.7 million jack stands sold by retailer Harbor Freight was issued because the items had a risk of collapse, which could result in injuries or death of consumers underneath a vehicle that was lifted by a defective stand. For further information about this issue, see: Harbor Freight Jack Stands Recalled.
- Denso Fuel Pump: Earlier this year, Denso fuel pumps were recalled because there was a risk of failure that could result in a vehicle stall. A stall could cause the vehicle occupants to become stranded or cause a car crash. More than 2 million pumps are under this recall.
The necessity of the Denso fuel pump recall arises because the impellers within the pumps can deform due to fuel absorption, which can then cause the impellers to strike the outer parts of the pumps. This defect is believed to have been caused when the impellers were exposed to solvent during the production process, which caused cracks on impeller surfaces.
The affected Denso fuel pumps were sold to the following manufacturers:
- Ford
- Mitsubishi
- Honda
- Subaru
- Mazda
- Toyota
- Magnuson Products
Toyota issued recalls for the Denso fuel pumps in January 2020 and then expanded that recall in March to include nearly 2 million vehicles. In April, approximately 200,000 vehicles were recalled by Subaru to replace the fuel pumps.
Other affected auto manufacturers will announce their own recalls related to Denso fuel pumps as necessary.
Protect Yourself and Your Passengers
Even when a recall is not as high-profile as those listed above, addressing them is still important to the safety of consumers. NHTSA urges you to protect yourself and your family by checking for and remedying any open vehicle, or vehicle equipment recalls on your vehicle.
Ways to Check for a Recall
- The NHTSA has a Recall Lookup Tool. You will need to type in your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to check for any open recalls.
- The NHTSA also has an app called SaferCar that runs automatic checks for recalls on your vehicle after you set up the initial information within the app.
- Check the website of your vehicle’s manufacturer where any recall information should be posted.
Watch the YouTube video about understanding car recalls.
Personal Injury Lawyer – Citrus Heights
Thank you for reading. My name is Ed Smith, and I have been a Citrus Heights personal injury lawyer for nearly 40 years. If you have questions about an automobile accident in which you sustained injuries, I can offer compassionate, free, and friendly advice if you call my office at (916) 921-6400. If you will be calling from outside the local area code, use our toll-free number: (800) 404-5400. If you prefer, you may also complete our online form and a case manager or injury attorney from my firm will get back to you promptly.
Information about my services, customer care, and case results can be found at the sites linked below:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/auto-mechanic-mechanic-workshop-2834414/
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