Ford, the Detroit auto-maker, will be recalling nearly half a million vehicles because of mechanical issues, reports the Boston Globe.
The Ford recall is for both Minivans and SUV's, specifically, the 2004 and 2005 Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans, and the 2001 and 2002 Ford Escape SUV's. The Ford recall minivans apparently have a problem with their torque converter output shaft and that can cause a loss of power.
As for the Ford recall SUV's, they have a leaky brake fluid cap which can result in fire if the fluid leaks and damages the electrical connector.
The news of the recall comes just after the 2011 statistics for car recalls came out, as blogged by FindLaw's Atlanta Injury News Blog.
In those statistics, Ford had come in third for most car recalls. It was exceeded only by Honda and Toyota.
If your vehicle (or your vehicle's equipment) is found to be defective, you have the right to have the situation remedied, and the vehicle/equipment manufacturer and dealer must take steps to ensure that those rights are protected.
Within a reasonable time after the determination of a car defect or noncompliance, manufacturers must notify, by first-class mail, all registered owners and purchasers of the affected vehicles of the existence of the problem and give an evaluation of its risk to motor vehicle safety.
Once a defect determination is made, the law gives the manufacturer three options for correcting the defect: repair, replacement, or refund. The manufacturer may choose to repair the vehicle; replace the vehicle with an identical or similar vehicle; or refund the purchase price in full, minus a reasonable allowance for depreciation. In the case of equipment, including tires and child safety seats, the manufacturer can either repair or replace.
And, in those instances where you may have had an accident potentially caused by the car defect, you may wish to speak to a personal injury attorney.
Related Resources:
- Find a Boston Personal Injury attorney (FindLaw)
- If You Have a Problem With a Recall Repair (FindLaw)
- Car Defects and Recalls Basics (FindLaw)
- Ford Recalls 539,000 Minivans, SUV's Worldwide (Reuters)
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