Earlier this year, Gray Ritter Graham filed a Missouri consumer fraud class action lawsuit against General Motors over several of its makes and models that have a potentially deadly design defect. The cars have a defective ignition switch, which could make them lose power, affecting the vehicles' air bags, power steering, and brakes.
Consumers now have more defective automobiles with which to be concerned.
The Safety Institute, a not-for-profit organization focusing on consumer product safety and injury prevention, has released its Vehicle Safety List for the third quarter of 2014. The list is compiled in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is sponsored by a father who lost his daughter in a fatal car crash when she was driving her 2005 Chevy Cobalt, one of the recalled models included in Gray Ritter Graham's lawsuit.
The top problem on this new list is a steering issue with the 2012 Ford Focus. Numerous claims of injuries have been filed with the NHTSA due to the car's electric power steering stopping without warning.
The second ranked auto defect problem involves brake failures with GM's 2011 and 2012 Chevrolet Cruz.
Not on the Safety Institute's most recent Vehicle Safety List, but now again in the news for a potentially deadly defect, is the Toyota Corolla. In 2009 and 2010, there were consumer complaints and reports of injury and death when the Corolla suddenly accelerated without warning. Toyota said then that the problem was caused by floor mats and sticky gas pedals.
Based on 141 new consumer complaints of sudden acceleration, the NHTSA is again looking into the matter, this time focusing on over 1.6 million 2006 to 2010 model-year Corollas.
Defective consumer products place consumers at risk. When the product is a faulty automobile, any accident can be fatal. Attorneys experienced in investigating consumer product claims can help owners of defective automobiles get the compensation they deserve for losses they suffer.
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