Thursday, April 30, 2015

Ford Recalls Over Half a Million Vehicles in the U.S.


            The recall is for steering issues mainly, but there are a smaller number of issues due to complications with other parts of the affected vehicles.  The largest group of cars affected includes Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans from model years 2013-2015, as well as 2015 Ford Edge Crossover vehicles.  This group of cars is affected by potential steering issues where gear motor attachment bolts may break due to corrosion.  If this happens, manual steering would take over and it would be very difficult to steer, especially at slower speeds.  When this happens, the risk of an accident increases substantially.  Thankfully, no accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of this specific issue.  If you have an affected vehicle, take it to your Ford or Lincoln dealer and they will replace the bolts and steering gear at no cost to you.

            Other issues are affecting 2014 model year Ford Focus, Edge, Escape, and Transit Connect vehicles, as well as 2014-2015 Ford Fiesta cars.  These vehicles have a nickel plating issue that could cause the fuel pump to seize, which means the vehicle might not start or could stall while driving.  So far, there has been one such case where this has happened to a driver.  Again, dealers will take care of this issue by replacing the fuel delivery module. 

            2015 Lincoln MKZ sedans are also affected by parking lamps being too bright for regulations and negatively affecting the vision of oncoming drivers.  Software in the vehicle contributes to this problem and dealers will fix the software to lower the intensity and brightness of the lights.  The last issue affects 2015 Ford F-150 trucks.  There is a potential that the underbody heat shield could lead to a fire.  So far, no incidents have been reported due to the bright lights or the fire hazard for trucks.

            Vehicle recalls are very serious because of the increased risk of accidents and injuries.  It is important for car owners to get these recall issues repaired as soon as possible for their own safety and the safety of others on the road.  If injury occurs as a result of the defective parts in your vehicle, you may be entitled to several legal remedies, including:

  • Economic damages: you may be able to recoup lost value of the car's resale value. You may also be able to recover for loss of use of the car
  • Personal injury recovery: if the defective automobile resulted in physical injuries to you, you may be able to recover for the costs associated with the injury
  • Class action: If the recall has affected enough numbers of consumers, a class action lawsuit might be an available option
  • Manufacturer reimbursement: Some auto manufacturers may voluntarily pay repair bills the defective product caused before the recall.

  Sometimes, however, you may need to initiate litigation to be compensated for your financial as well as your physical losses. At Portner & Shure, we have handled these cases for over twenty years for Maryland and Virginia injury victims. We have the experience and technical resources to analyze your auto accident case, answer your questions, and pursue the compensation you deserve.  Call us today to schedule an appointment at one of our many office locations for your free case evaluation at (301) 854-9000 or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

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