Product Liability Law Blog

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal probe into whether General Motors's Chevy Volts' batteries are at risk of catching fire after they are involved in a serious car crash. While GM has stated that its vehicle is not a fire hazard, the NHTSA remains committed to continuing its safety defect investigation until it reaches its own conclusions.

Safety officials began to worry about a possible fire risk after a Volt that was parked in a test facility caught fire, causing damage to other parked autos. That battery had been punctured and its coolant line ruptured during a side-impact collision test in May.

In the last several days, one of the Volt battery packs that was under observation following a crash test did catch fire, while another one that was also crash-tested let out sparks and smoke. Another battery that underwent a crash test several months ago also had burst into flames. (GM claims NHTSA failing to drain one of the batteries that caught fire of energy after crash-testing it, which is a step the automaker would have taken.)

The NHTSA says there have been no Volt-related fires in roadway crashes reported thus far. The Volt is one of 8,000 cars that are plug-in electric cars.

While testing of the Volt hasn't raised any red flags about other electric autos, the NHTSA does want auto manufacturers to offer more specific data about battery testing for these types of vehicles.

Auto Defects and Car Fires
Any auto that catches fire is dangerous for those in and around the vehicle. It is therefore essential that cars and their parts do not possess any auto defects that raise the risk of a car bursting into flames--especially following a traffic crash.

Couple an auto defect that is a fire hazard with a tank of gasoline and the consequences can prove catastrophic, further exacerbating any serious injuries that may have already been sustained by any victims. Rescue efforts may become hampered, as emergency workers attempt to stay alive while trying to pull the driver and any occupants from the motor vehicle.

If a crash victim is lucky enough to survive the car fire, he or she may have to cope with the excruciating pain that comes with serious burn injuries that can leave the victim seriously disfigured and disabled for life. Recovery can be a very long and costly process.

Our auto products liability law firm represent clients throughout the US that were injured as a result of safety defects that contributed to causing the serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

Statement of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration On Formal Safety Defect Investigation of Post-Crash Fire Risk in Chevy Volts, NHTSA, November 25, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Illinois Auto Defect Lawsuit Blames Ford For Truck Fire That Burned House Down, Product Liability Law Blog, September 21, 2011

Auto Defects: Fire Hazards Prompt General Motors and Chrysler to Recall Vehicles, Product Liability Law Blog, June 8, 2010

Ford Recall and GM Chevrolet Fire Incidents Rekindle Fire Hazard Concerns, Product Liability Law Blog, February 13, 2008

Continue reading "NHTSA Probing Whether GM Chevrolet Volt's Lithium-Ion Batteries Pose a Fire Hazard" »

Another six companies are recalling their pourable gel fuel products over concerns that they may cause burn injuries to consumers. It was just last month that nine other manufacturers recalled more than 2 million units of pourable gel units following reports of serious injuries and deaths.

The gel fuel can ignite when being poured into a still lit firepot. In the event that the fuel was to splatter, landing on people, objects, and the surrounding area, flash fires can erupt, causing serious burn injuries.

Already, there have been at least 65 incidents reported. 28 of them resulted in 37 burn injuries. These flash fires can be hard to extinguish. A person on fire because of a gel fuel cannot just "stop, drop, and roll." Dousing the victim with water won't necessarily do the job either and trying to pat the fire off him/her can cause the flames to spread onto the person attempting to make a rescue. According the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a BC-rated or ABC-rated dry powder/chemical fire extinguisher is your best bet.

Burns injuries to the face, hands, chest, arms, and legs and at least two deaths have occurred from these accidents. Recent injury victims include a 14-year-old who went into a coma and needed a ventilator to stay alive. Two male adult friends sustained numerous burn injuries during the same incident. One of the victims, 24, already has had multiple surgeries to treat his burns.

One couple recently filed a Florida products liability lawsuit over their burn injuries from using a NAPAfire and FIREGEL Gel Fuel, which also has recalled its gel fuel products. Because that company has sued for bankruptcy, they are not pursuing damages against it. They are, however, going after the sellers of the gel fuel and firepot and the company that packaged the product.

Remember, that there may be more than one party that can be held liable for burn injuries caused by a defective product. Depending on the specifics of your case, manufacturers, sellers, retailers, those in charge with packaging and marketing the products, and distributors are just some of the possible defendants.

List of manufacturers that have recalled their pourable gel fuel products:
• Napa Home & Garden, which recently declared bankruptcy
• Smart Solar Inc.
Pacific Décor Ltd.
• Lamplight Farms Inc.
• Sunjel Company
• Bird Brain Inc.
• Real Flame of Racine
• Luminosities Inc.
• Fuel Barons Inc.
• Bond Manufacturing
• Husqvarna Zenoah Co. Ltd.
• Luminosities/Windflame Inc.
• Smart Solar Inc.
• Real Flame
• Fuel Barons
• Bond Manufacturing Co.

You want to work with a products liability law firm that knows how to prove that a company was negligent.

Recalls, CPSC

Nine Manufacturers, Distributors Announce Consumer Recall of Pourable Gel Fuel Due to Burn and Flash Fire Hazards, CPSC, September 1, 2011

Calls to ban gel fuel heat up, Chicago Tribune, August 10, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Burns, Medline Plus

Products Liability, Justia

More Blog Posts:
Products Liability: Fire Gel Fuel Used in Firepots, Fancy Torches, and Personal Fireplaces Posing a Serious Burn Injury Hazard to Consumers, Product Liability Law Blog, August 3, 2011

Preventing Injuries to Children: Are Gas Fireplaces a Burn Hazard?, Product Liability Law Blog, March 8, 2010

Burn and Electrocution Injuries Are Reasons for Latest CPSC Recalls of Heaters, Holiday Lights, Waffle Makers, and Tealight Candleholders, Product Liability Law Blog, March 4, 2009

Continue reading "More Pourable Gel Fuel Recalled by Manufacturers" »

A woman whose trailer home caught on fire when her neighbor's Ford F-150 pickup caught fire is suing the automaker for Illinois automotive products liability. Guadalupe Mendez lost her home on September 12, 2006. At the time, the trailer house, which she had bought four years before, was nearly paid off. Losing her house left her and her two sounds, then 13 and 9, with a car and the clothes on their back.

In her Illinois auto defect lawsuit, Mendez Is accusing Ford of knowing that there was something wrong with the switch for the truck's cruise control system but doing nothing to remedy the problem. Mendez's believes that this auto defect is what started the fire.

Mendez is not the first person to file an auto products liability complaint against Ford over this safety issue. Similar auto defect lawsuits have been filed in Texas, Michigan, and San Francisco. Also a defendant in Mendez's complaint is Texas Instruments, which manufactured the switch.

Per Mendez's Illinois auto defect complaint, the fire, which gutted the Ford F-150, likely occurred because of a defect in the cruise control system that allows electrical current to run through the switch even when the vehicle isn't on. Also, even though only one-half amp of power is required by the system, it is constantly getting 15 amps of power, which can cause it to overheat and a fire to start up in parked pickups.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recalled about 17.5 million Ford autos in the last 12 years for issues linked to the faulty control system. However, the NHTSA believes that there still may be several million vehicles with this auto defect that are currently in use. Many Ford owners may not be aware their vehicle has this safety issue--especially if they bought their autos second-hand.

A car fire can be incredibly dangerous for the occupants in a vehicle and those in the area at the time. A motor vehicle that catches fire is at serious risk of exploding--especially when the gas tank is involved. This can lead to not just the destruction of the vehicle but to serious burn injuries and even deaths.

The Ford F-150 is not the only Ford vehicle that has been linked to faulty cruise control systems. Other Ford autos that have been recalled:

• Excursion ('00 and '03 models)
• Mazda-B-Series ('98-'02 models)
• Navigator ('98-'02 models)
• Expedition ('97 to '02 models)
• Windstar ('95-'03 models)
• Mountaineer ('95-02' models)
• Explorer Sport and Sport Trac ('01-'02 models)
• Explorer (95'-02 models)
• Ranger (''95 - 03 models)
• Mercury Capri ('94 models)
• F53 Motorhome ('94-'02 models)
• Bronco ('93-'96 models)
• Mark VIII ('93-'98 models)
• Taurus SHO ('93-'95 models)
• F Series (>8500GVW Diesel) ('93-'97, '99-'03 models)
• Blackwood ('02-'03 models)
• Lightning ('03-'04 models)
• F Series (150-550) ('93-'03 models)
• Crown Victory/Grand Marquis/Town Car ('92-'98 models)
• E Series (Econolines) ('92-93 models)

Auto manufacturers can be held liable for auto defects that cause serious personal injuries or wrongful deaths. You want to work with an experienced auto products liability law firm that has the resources, knowledge, and team to help you recover the damages that you are owed.

Lawsuit: Defect in Ford's cruise control burned down Aurora home, The Beacon-News/Chicago Sun-Times, September 22, 2011

NHTSA Repeats Caution to Owners of Various Recalled Ford Vehicles on Fire Risk, NHTSA, October 21, 2010

Center for Auto Safety

More Blog Posts:
Ford and Chrysler Among Latest Automakers to Recall Vehicles, Product Liability Law Blog, January 3, 2011

Ford Recall and GM Chevrolet Fire Incidents Rekindle Fire Hazard Concerns,
Product Liability Law Blog, February 13, 2011

Auto Defects: California Assembly Approves Bill that Would Bar Rental Car Companies from Selling or Renting Out Recalled Vehicles Until They Are Repaired, Product Liability Law Blog, April 28, 2011

In a 42-26 vote, the California Assembly has approved a bill that would stop Enterprise, Hertz, Avis and other rental companies from selling or renting vehicles that have been recalled until the autos are fixed. The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Bill Monning following the 2004 deaths of two sisters that were riding in an Enterprise rental. The Orange County Register reports that the parents of Jacqueline and Raechel Houck are among the bill's supporters.

The Houck sisters, Jacqueline, 20, and Raechel, 24, were not aware that their upgraded rental, a PT cruiser, had been recalled over a power steering defect could cause an underhood engine fire. This safety issue caused Raechel to become unable to steer the PT Cruiser while driving. The PT cruiser then ended up crossing the median of US 101, crashing into a tractor-trailer, and catching fire. The siblings died in the tractor-trailer crash.

Houcks' family would go on to sue Enterprise for the women's California wrongful deaths. During the case, their car accident lawyers found that the Enterprise branch that the sisters had gone to had rented the PT cruiser on three other occasions after it was recalled. Enterprise later admitted negligence and a jury awarded the girls' family $15 million in wrongful death damages.

The bill now heads for the California Senate. If it becomes law, it would be the first one in the US of this kind.

Rental car companies have complained that bill may be "overly broad" in not recognizing that federal recall announcements often do not denote whether the problem is a non-safety defect or a safety-related issue. They also have said that some defects can be temporarily fixed until a permanent repair is made and still not pose a safety risk. The companies are saying they would prefer a national standard.

Our auto products liability lawyers have seen the devastating consequences that can result when someone is injured in a traffic crash caused by an auto defect. We are not afraid to go up against auto large manufacturers or other parties responsible for your injuries or your loved one's death and fight for your right to financial recovery.

Calif. Assembly approves rental car recall bill, Forbes/AP, April 28, 2011

After sisters die, bill targets rental cars, OC Register, April 28, 2011

Rent-a-Car Companies Putting Recalled Autos on the Road, ABC News, July 7, 2010

More Blog Posts:
Hyundai Recalls 140,000 Sonata Sedans Over Steering Column Defect and General Motors Recalls 20,224 Cadillac CTS Because of Air Bag Problem, Product Liability Law Blog, September 25, 2010

uto Defects: Fire Hazards Prompt General Motors and Chrysler to Recall Vehicles, June 8, 2010

Continue reading "Auto Defects: California Assembly Approves Bill that Would Bar Rental Car Companies from Selling or Renting Out Recalled Vehicles Until They Are Repaired" »

Chrsyler Group is recalling over 144,000 Ram and Doge vehicles in three separate actions. The largest recall involves about 65,180 Dodge Journey sports-utility vehicles made between November 1, 2007 and September 7, 2008. The issue of concern involves front-door wiring harnesses that may break or wear, potentially disabling side-impact airbags. Chrysler has told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the kind of wire used, the way it is routed through the doors, and the cold weather could be contributing to the risk of wire fatigue.

Chrysler's second recall affects 56,611 Ram 1500 pickup trucks (2011 model). The vehicles' crash risk can go up in the event that the rear axle bearing was to seize. The automaker's third recall impacts 22,274 Ram 5500 and 4500 pickup trucks (2008 – 2011 year models) over a steering component that might fracture or weaken, which can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Meantime, Ford Motor Co. is recalling 14,737 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKS crossover vehicles and Ford F-Series pickup trucks. Ford says that the body-control modules in the vehicle may be at risk of an electrical short. If this happens and the vehicle overheats, a fire could break out. This recall comes in the wake of two autos catching fire at a Ford plant.

As our auto products liability law firm mentioned in a recent blog post, about 19 million autos were recalled in 2010. This number is significantly higher than the number of vehicles that were sold last year, which were approximately 11.4 million vehicles.

The NHTSA says that through December 14, 2010, it received over 64,000 complaints from drivers about their vehicles. According to the Los Angeles Times and the Dallas News, Toyota received close to 87 complaints for every 100,000 autos it sold. That is more complaints than any other auto manufacturer. Nissan ranked number two when it came to consumer complaints, with almost 62 complaints for every 100,000 autos sold. Volkswagen received 47 complaints for every 100,00 vehicles sold. Edmunds.com, an automotive research firm, says Honda Motor Co. and Ford had the lowest complaint ratios.

More U.S. drivers file official auto complaints, DallasNews, January 3, 2010

Chrysler and Ford Recall 160,000 Vehicles for Safety Defects, Daily Finance, December 30, 2010

Ford Recalls F-Series Pickups, Edge, Lincoln MKX, ABC News, December 30, 2010

More than 19 Million Autos Recalled in 2010 in About 600 Campaigns, Product Liability Blog, December 29, 2010

Related Web Resources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Recalls.gov

Continue reading "Ford and Chrysler Among Latest Automakers to Recall Vehicles" »

General Motors announced today that it is recalling approximately 1.5 million autos because of a problem with the heated windshield wiper system that poses a possible fire hazard. The recall affects the following vehicles:

(2006 – 2009 models)
Buick Lucerne
Hummer H2
Cadillac DTS

(2008, 2009 models)
Buick Enclave
Cadillac CTS

(2007-2009 models)
Escalade ESV
Cadillac Escalade
Escalade EXT
Silverado
Tahoe
Chevrolet Avalanche
Suburban
Sierra
GMC Acadia
Yukon XL
Yukon
Saturn Outlook

(2009 model)
Chevrolet Traverse

GM says it knows of about five fires that have broken out because of the auto defect but that there are no reports of related car crash injuries or deaths.

This recall comes on the heels of Chrysler's recall on Monday of nearly 600,000 Jeep Wranglers (2006 – 2010 models) and Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country (2008 and 2009 models) minivans. While the Jeeps may have a problem with the front inner fender liners, which can cause the brake fluid to leak, this can result in partial brake loss. Meantime, the Chrysler minivans have wiring that, due to their improper placement, could cause a fire inside to break out inside the sliding doors. Chrysler's latest recall is separate from its recall last week of 71 Jeep Compasses and 35,000 Dodge Calibers over a sticky gas pedal defect.

GM to recall about 1.5 million vehicles because of fire hazard, Los Angeles Times, June 9, 2010

GM windshield wiper recall affects 1.5 million vehicles, USA Today, June 9, 2010

Chrysler to Recall More Than 683,000 Vehicles, Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Safercar.gov

General Motors

Continue reading "Auto Defects: Fire Hazards Prompt General Motors and Chrysler to Recall Vehicles" »

Ford Motor Co. announced two separate recalls on Monday that affect over 180,000 vans and sports utility vehicles.

The larger recall affects almost 124,000 2007-2008 Lincoln Navigator SUVs and Ford Expeditions. Ford says that the spring system located inside the side door handles might break and prevent the door from closing properly or cause it to open unexpectedly during a side collision. The Michigan-based auto manufacturer plans to replace the interior side door handles.

Ford's second recall involves 57,000 2007 Navigator and Expedition SUVs and 2006-2007 E-150, E-250 and E-350 vans. Ford says the vehicles' fuel rail crossover hose could crack, leak fuel, and cause a fire.

The auto manufacturing giant has already recalled over 10 million motor vehicles because of fire hazard concerns. No incidents related to this recall have been reported so far.

There have, however, been two separate fire incidents involving 2007 Chevrolet SUV's. This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officially opened an investigation into whether the 2007 Chevrolet SUVs are susceptible to catching fire. Chervrolet SUVs are made by General Motors.

The formal probe follows two separate incidents where an SUV ignited while the engine was turned off. Both incidents took place while the SUVs were parked in home garages. Two people were injured in one fire, and a great deal of property damage occurred during both incidents.

At this time, the source of the two fires has not been determined-although the engine, battery, wiring, and engine cooling are possible sources.

Some 400,000 motor vehicles are part of the investigation. The NHTSA will take a look at both the Tahoe and the GMC Yukon.

Our motor vehicle fire attorneys have helped many injured clients recover compensation from some of the country's largest auto manufacturers because their motor vehicles ignited due to a product defect. Visit the Automotives Product Liability: Fires section of our Web site for more information.

Ford Recalls 180,000 Vehicles, Foxbusiness.com, February 11, 2008

US investigates reports of fires in Chevy Tahoes, Reuters, February 11, 2008

Feds Probe Fire Complaints in Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Consumer Affairs, February 9, 2008

Related Web Resources:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

General Motors

Ford Motors

Continue reading "Ford Recall and GM Chevrolet Fire Incidents Rekindle Fire Hazard Concerns" »