Air Bag Recalls

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Law Office of D. Hardison Wood

Several air bags have been recalled involving different car manufacturers. Many of these recalls have to with sensor problems causing the air bag either to fail in its deployment, or to go off causing serious injury to the passenger.

• GM: 12,662 2009 Cadillac CTS sedans over a software problem that may disable the front-passenger air bag when it should be enabled or vice versa.

• Nissan: more than 200,000 2007-08 Altima, 350Z, Murano and Rogue and Infiniti EX35, G35 and G37 vehicles to fix a sensor for the passenger-side air bag. Nissan is also recalling 16,365 2006 Murano and 2008 Infiniti EX35 SUVs to fix incorrectly programmed software that may lead passenger-side air bags to fail.

• BMW: 200,000 2006 3 Series and 2004-06 5 Series cars and 2004-06 X3 SUVs over concerns that the front-passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash. Small cracks could develop in a seat detection mat and deactivate the bags but activate the warning light.

• Hyundai: is recalling 393,714 2006-08 Sonata sedans to fix a problem with the air-bag system in the front passenger seat. The affected cars have an advanced system that disables the passenger front bag when it detects a child-restraint system or small child in the seat.

• Ford: is recalling 470,000 2005-08 Mustangs to update passenger-side front-air-bag software. Ford says internal testing showed the air bag could injure a small, unbelted passenger.

Read the article on chicagotribune.com

If you or someone you know has been injured due to an airbag or an airbag failure please contact our office at 919-677-0144.

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MADD CEO tapped to head NHTSA

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Law Office of D. Hardison Wood

President Obama has asked Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) CEO, Charles Hurley to be the next administrator of NHTSA. The White House said that in addition to is work on drunk driving issues, Hurley has also an extensive background working on air bag, seat belt teen driving and child passenger safety  issues. All of which are very near and dear to our law firm. We focus on all areas of products liability, including child safety, air bag non deployment, car fires, roof crush, roll overs, and more.

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has already is looking to the new administrator and NHTSA to address roof crush issues sooner rather than later.

The current roof standard has been in place since 1973, before SUVs were a common mode of consumer transportation. The roof crush standard addresses the safety of vehicles’ roofs to withstand pressure when involved in rollover accidents.

NHTSA was required to deliver a roof crush standard to Congress by July 1, 2008, but was ordered by Congress to strengthen their proposed rule because it did not significantly reduce loss of life and prevent injury.  NHTSA asked for an extension until December 15, 2008, and then revised the date for issuing the final rule to April 30, 2009.

 

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