Ford Model Year 2017 F-150 and Mustang Air Bag Recall
Ford Motor Company (Ford) has issued a recall on some of their trending pick-up trucks and sport vehicles. The reason for the recall originates from a defect in the passenger frontal air bag inflator, which may result in traumatic or even fatal injuries. Every automotive recall should be taken seriously and addressed promptly to ensure your safety.
Recall Details
Recall reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that an inflator rupture in the passenger frontal air bag module may cause metal fragments to strike the occupants in certain Ford vehicles. Such fragments can cause an occupant to suffer serious injury or even death.
What are Air Bag Inflators?
Air bag inflators are metal cartridges filled with propellant wafers. Some cases reported that air bag inflators have ignited with excessive force, resulting in a rupture. If the housing of an inflator ruptures in an automobile accident, metal fragments from the air bag may propel throughout the cabin of the vehicle. Consequently, these supposed life-saving devices can result in a potentially disastrous outcome if they are under an active recall and/or pending investigation.
Which Vehicles?
The recall affects approximately 650 vehicles on the roadway today. These affected units include:
- 2017 F-150 and Mustang
Recall Remedy
Owners will be notified by Ford if their vehicle is affected by the recall. The passenger frontal air bag module will be replaced by authorized dealers, free of charge. The recall is expected to start by October 9, 2017.
Accidents Involving Recalled Air Bag Inflators
One of the largest recalls in history include the Takata air bag recall. Numerous car accidents involving these products have led to product liability issues. Such issues have led the Takata company into bankruptcy. The company has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States. The headquarters of the company, located in Japan, has also filed for bankruptcy. The company reached this decision after determining that their losses exceeded their earning capacity to remain afloat. The liabilities this company is expected to compensate to affected parties has been estimated to be as high as $50 billion dollars. Any one that has been affected by a product liability case should contact an experienced Fresno car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner the process gets started, the higher likelihood of a case reaching a fair conclusion.
Recent Accident Involving Takata Air Bag Inflator
A 2002 Honda Accord was fixed up and sold to the family of a Las Vegas woman, Karina Dorado, in March 2016. Repairs to the vehicle included air bag replacement with a dangerous Takata air bag inflator from a salvage yard. Dorado, unknowingly, drove the vehicle for a while before she was involved in a car accident approximately a year later. Dorado’s car was struck by another vehicle on her way home from work. The impact caused the air bags of the vehicle to deploy. Reports indicated that she suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of this accident.
The accident led to a thorough investigation. The vehicle was deemed as a total loss by an insurance company due to a crash in Arizona. Two companies specialized in repairing damaged vehicles bought the 2002 Honda Accord at a salvage car auction in Phoenix, Arizona. The driver’s air bag assembly was obtained from a 2001 Honda Accord at a salvage part yard and was installed into the Dorado’s vehicle by the two salvage vehicle repair companies. The companies allegedly failed to notify the family of Coronado that the air bag inflator in the vehicle was under an active recall. The family has since filed a lawsuit against the two salvage vehicle repair companies, salvage part yard company and the at-fault driver in the accident.
It is important to note that these defective air bag inflators may make their ways into older vehicles. Always have your vehicle inspected by an authorized dealer to ensure your safety.
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Information Sources:
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/
- https://www.boston.com/cars/car-news/2017/08/25/how-a-dangerous-takata-air-bag-made-its-way-into-a-used-car
Image Source ~
Title: ford-2691853.jpg
Author: By Jan2575 via Pixabay
License: CC0 Creative Commons – Free for Commercial Use
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