Lemon Law News – Faulty Ford Airbags Found in Three Vehicles

Ford Motor Company is recalling three vehicles for potentially dangerous airbag problems.

The manufacturer notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on June 26, 2017 they will recall three 2016 Ford Escape vehicles built on Dec. 18, 2015. The recall involves the vehicles’ driver knee airbag modules.

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Ford states the three vehicles involved have driver knee airbags installed without the inflator gas generating material needed to function. Were the airbag deployed, it could not completely fill and fail to adequately protect the driver and increase crash injury risk.

The manufacturer’s safety report stated their knee airbag supplier, Autoliv Safety Products, experienced an “assembly production line fault” on Nov. 25, 2015, causing unanticipated assembly line downtime. This ended with the supplier switching the line from production to test mode, attempting to resolve the issue. The then-incapacitated assembly line produced 56 airbag modules without proper gas generating fill during the test mode period. The systems which detect improperly filled components were down during test mode.

Autoliv scrapped all but three improperly filled modules. The company’s recent audit found three suspect airbag modules which should have been scrapped were sent to Ford instead. Autoliv notified Ford on May 22, 2017, and Ford approved a recall action on June 19, 2017.

Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the driver’s knee air bag free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 18, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 17C11. Concerned Ford owners can also visit the NHTSA’s website and enter their VIN to see if their vehicle is included in any recalls.

The manufacturer of your vehicle is legally required to fix any recalled problems for free. If the dealership refuses to fix the part or tries to charge you for the repair, contact the manufacturer immediately. The Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the NHTSA, requires car manufacturers to pay for the recall and replacement of a defective part.

If the manufacturer fails to repair, replace, repurchase, or provide your recalled vehicle’s loss value, they are violating the warranty and a lawyer may be able to assist you.  Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.