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If you are out for a drive and your steering wheel falls off into your lap - that's not safe. A steering component that breaks unexpectedly and causes you to lose control of your car is a perfect example of a safety-related vehicle defect.
The Dangers of "Keyless" Cars
More Deaths and More Recalls Related to Takata Airbags
Car Seatback Defects In The News
CBS News is reporting today on its investigation into the dangers of car seatback failure -- something our firm, safety experts, as well as the government and the auto industry have known about for decades.
Honda and Toyota Vehicles Added to Takata Airbag Recall
The following vehicles were added this week to the massive recall of defective Takata airbags:
Keeping Up to Speed with the Takata Airbag Recall
The announcement yesterday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the massive expansion of the Takata airbag recall has hundreds of thousands of car owners racing to the website to check whether their vehicles are affected by the largest consumer product recall in U.S. history. NHTSA is warning visitors to its site that it may take several days to gather and input all of the VINs associated with this recall. If you experience difficulty on the NHTSA website, try searching on your manufacturer's website as well:
Takata Airbag Recall - The Largest Recall of Any Consumer Product in U.S. History
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced today that Japanese supplier, Takata, will expand its recall of defective airbag inflators to include nearly 34 million vehicles, making it one of the largest recalls of any consumer product in United States history (via CNN).
General Motors Ignition Switch Cases
The New York Times recently reported that some accident victims injured or killed in vehicles linked to the General Motors ignition switch defect have had a hard time finding lawyers willing to take on the manufacturer.
GM Ignored Ignition Switch Fix
Congressional hearings are underway this week to investigate how long General Motors knew about the ignition switch problem before it initiated the first wave of recalls earlier this year. Documents obtained by media outlets reveal that GM learned of the defect as early as 2001, during the pre-production testing of the Saturn Ion. The following year, GM approved the use of the ignition switch even after informed by the supplier that it did not meet GM's performance specifications. In 2005, the automaker rejected multiple proposals to resolve the problem because it would cost too much and take too long. Reuters reported today that the fix would have cost less than $1 per car.
GM Recalls Vehicles with Defective Ignition Switches & Failing Airbags
Last month, General Motors Corp. recalled more than 1,000,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and certain Pontiac and Saturn vehicles to repair an ignition switch problem. The defect can allow the key to slip from its "run" position under certain foreseeable operating conditions. This defect can cause an engine shutdown and loss of power steering, brakes, and safety systems, including its airbags and anti-lock brakes.
