Ford Issues Safety Recall for More Than 33,000 Vehicles
April 23, 2010 – Officials for the Ford Motor Company have filed a recall notice to fix a possible safety defect in 33,256 automobiles and SUVs built this year.
The recall is for the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan four-door sedans built at Ford’s Hermosillo, Mexico, factory between Dec. 11, 2009, through Feb. 3 of this year. Also recalled are some of the Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer sport utility vehicles manufactured at Ford’s Louisville, Kentucky, factory from Dec. 15, 2009, through Feb. 3.
In an April 16 letter, Ford officials notified U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials that a potential safety defect with the reclining mechanisms on front seats might result in an injury to passengers during an accident. No known injuries have occurred as of April 14, and vehicle owners will begin receiving recall notices on April 30, according to Ford officials.
Ford’s quick notification to federal official might have arisen from recent troubles plaguing the auto industries top manufacturer, the Toyota Motor Corporation. Officials for the Toyota Motor Corporation on April 19 agreed to pay a $16.38 million federal fine without admitting fault regarding the automaker’s recent handling of safety issues that eventually spurred a massive, ongoing global vehicle recall.
Officials for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last month announced they are seeking a $16.38 million penalty to be paid by Toyota for allegedly delaying by at least four months any effort to notify the federal highway safety administration of known safety issues with several popular vehicle models. Officials for Toyota eventually recalled some 2.3 million vehicles in the United States in January to replace their gas pedals and ensure they cannot become “stuck” and cause a vehicle to accelerate out of control. The $16.38 million fine is the single largest ever levied on an automaker by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Although Toyota officials agreed to pay the fine, they did not admit any fault in the matter and this week announced yet another vehicle recall – this time for some 9,400 Lexus GX 460 SUVs manufactured this year and 600,000 of the company’s two-wheel-drive Sienna minivans manufactured from 1998 to 2010. The Lexus GX 460 recall was issued in the wake of a recent Consumer Reports’ assessment placing a “do not buy” recommendation after independent tests revealed potential problems with the vehicle’s stability-control system.
Toyota officials likely acted quickly on the stability-control problem with the Lexus GX460 after being accused of delaying recalls of known problems with other vehicles, which resulted in the $16.38 million fine after federal officials found evidence Toyota officials knew of the potential safety problem months before notifying federal law officials, per U.S. law.
“We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations. Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said when announcing the record $16.38 million fine last month.
Federal law requires automakers to notify federal safety regulators within five business days of identifying a potential safety defect in vehicles. Federal officials allege Toyota officials were aware of the potential problem with gas pedals no later than Sept. 29, 2009, when company officials sent documents detailing the problem and how to fix it to dealerships in Europe and Canada, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Federal officials say the documents indicate Toyota officials were aware the problem existed in the United States, as well.
Although the $16.38 million fine for the faulty gas pedal problem is the maximum amount federal officials can levy for a single violation, other fines might be levied for other Toyota’s handling of other vehicle safety issues that were part of the automaker’s recent, massive recall efforts.
Officials for the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recently said they have received complaints of at least 52 deaths caused by sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles since 2000. Toyota Motor Corporation officials recently recalled nearly 10 million vehicles worldwide to correct problems with vehicles suddenly accelerating and other problems.
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