Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Unsafe to Drive: Honda Recalls 2011 Odyssey Minivans While Volkswagen Recalls 2011 Jettas

It's sweet to drive that new vehicle off the lot -- that new car smell, the cutting edge technology, everything inside so clean and shiny and new. Sweet but short-lived: oftentimes, it's the brand new products that are subject to recall by their manufacturers.

All too often, it is only after the new car, minivan, or truck hits the road that defects and flaws are discovered by the manufacturer - and the products must be recalled for these problems to be fixed. Defects in products deemed safe enough to sell can prove to be dangerous - and while product recalls are an attempt to fix things, it is sadly all too true that many of these errors form the basis for products liability lawsuits where plaintiffs have been seriously injured or victims of wrongful death.

Beware the New Product: Honda Odyssey and VW Jetta as Two Examples
This week, two car makers have issued voluntary recalls of products that they okayed and placed into the marketplace for buyers to trust and purchase.
  • Honda is recalling 2,800 of its 2011 Odyssey minivans, sold throughout the United States, so that Honda dealers can replace the side window glass in one or both of the front doors. Why? According to its news release, Honda has discovered there is "... a potential for one or both windows to become detached from the window regulator, causing the window to become inoperative and preventing it from being rolled up or down. In the worst case, the window may bind and shatter onto the occupants. No crashes or injuries have been reported related to this defect." Honda Odyssey owners with questions can call the car maker at calling (800) 999-1009 (choose option 4).
  • VW Jettas are the subject of a much larger recall this week. Volkswagen of America, Inc. is recalling 71,043 of its new 2010 and 2011 Jettas because the VW dealers need to "...reconfigure a wiring layout associated with the anti-theft alarm system and horn. No injuries or accidents have been reported as a result of this condition." Jetta owners with questions should contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
If you have a question or concern about any new product - car, car seat, tire, toy, appliance, whatever - then visit www.recalls.gov to check for the possibility of a product recall. If you have been injured by a defective product, then know that you may have a claim for damages and take steps to protect your claim: safeguard the product, document the incident, and contact a plaintiff's products liability attorney. Sometimes a product line is defective; sometimes, a single flawed product can be the cause of harm.



By Bryant Esquenazi on March 29, 2011 1:24 PM

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