The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that car manufacturers
recalled 16.4 million vehicles last year. While there were less recall
campaigns overall—492 recall campaigns in 2009 compared to 684 campaigns
in 2008, automakers recalled 6 million more autos last year.
Toyota led the car manufacturer list with most vehicles recalled. The
car manufacturer’s reputation for passenger safety took a beating
after four people were killed when its floor mat on the driver’s
side jammed a 2009 Lexus ES 350′s gas pedal, causing the vehicle
to accelerate to over 100 mph before crashing. Following the fatal car
wreck, the Toyota announced a recall involving 4.26 million vehicles—its
largest recall ever—to fix acceleration problems. In total, Toyota
announced 9 campaigns and recalled 4.87 million autos last year.
Among the other automakers that recalled vehicles in 2009:
- Ford Motor Co.: 8 campaigns that recalled 4.5 million vehicles.
- General Motors Co.: 16 campaigns and 2.2 million autos recalled.
- Honda Motor Co.: 4 campaigns and 454,000 motor vehicles. Honda was the only auto manufacturer to see a drop in the number of vehicles it recalled in 2009 compared to the year before. The car manufacturer recalled 797,000 autos in 2008.
- Chrysler Group LLC: 15 campaigns and 59,000 vehicles.
- Nissan Motor Co.’s Kia Unit: 8 campaigns and 1.3 million autos.
- Volkswagen AG: 8 campaigns and 100,000 recalled autos.
While recalling a vehicle to fix a particular defect is a positive step
toward preventing injuries and deaths, car manufacturers should not be
designing, making, and selling vehicles that have any type of vehicle
defect to begin with. Auto defects are not minor glitches that can be
easily fixed. There are lives at stake whenever someone gets in a car
that can potentially malfunction because a specific part was defective
or poorly manufactured.
Do NOT be intimidated by a giant car manufacturer when it comes to pursuing
an auto products liability claim for personal injury or death. Our auto
products liability lawyers represents clients who were seriously injured
or lost loved ones in car accidents because of structural defects, faulty
engines, a seat back defects, a poorly designed seat belts, weak vehicle
roofs, defective tires, faulty airbags, or other flawed vehicle parts.
Auto recalls surge in ’09, NHTSA says, Detroit News, January 12, 2010
Recalls, NHTSA
Related Web Resources:
Auto Recalls, Justia
Consumer Reports
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