Ford, Nissan Recall 989K Vehicles: What Consumers Need to Know
Two new auto recalls were announced Wednesday involving nearly 1 million Ford and Nissan vehicles.
Ford is recalling more than 205,000 vehicles because of a problem with interior door handles, and an additional 16,100 vehicles for potential issues with safety belt fasteners, reports The Detroit News. Separately, Nissan announced the recall of about 768,000 vehicles for issues relating to a potential wiring short and problems with a secondary hood latch, Reuters reports.
What should consumers know about these two recalls?
Ford Recall
Ford is recalling 205,000 Taurus, Lincoln, and Police Interceptor vehicles from the model years 2010-13 because of an issue with a spring inside the vehicles' door handles. A defect in this mechanism could cause the door to become unlatched during a crash, increasing the risk of injury for the driver or other occupants of the vehicle.
Ford also announced the recall of 16,100 of its Transit Connect vans, citing an issue with the vehicles' safety belt fasteners. These fasteners may not have been properly tightened, leading to an increased risk of injury in a crash.
According to Ford, no injuries have been reported in connection with these recalls. Even so, owners of these vehicles have the right to a recall remedy, which in this case involves free repairs at a Ford dealership.
Nissan Recall
Nissan also announced recalls related to two different potential defects. Approximately 552,135 of the company's Rogue crossover vehicles from model years 2008 and 2013 are being recalled because of a potential problem caused by moisture seeping through the driver's side floor, causing an electrical short in wiring which could in turn cause a fire.
Another 215,789 Nissan Pathfinder SUVs from model years 2013 and 2014 are being recalled; the problem lies with a secondary hood latch designed to prevent the hood from flying back if the primary hood latch is disengaged. No injuries have been reported in either of these recalls.
How to Determine Whether Your Vehicle Has Been Recalled
If you are curious whether your vehicle may be affected by this or any other recent vehicle recalls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a free online tool that allow consumers to determine whether safety recall repairs have been completed on a specific vehicle.
Consumers can search using their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see whether any required recall repairs are needed. Individual manufacturers are also now required to have recall information searchable by VIN on their own websites.
If you were injured because of a mechanical defect in a recalled vehicle, a products liability lawyer can help explain the legal options for recovering for your injuries.
Related Resources:
- Car Safety Recalls (FindLaw)
- Can I Sue After a Recall? (FindLaw's Injured)
- Airbag Defect, Deaths Lead to Recall Involving 4.7M Cars (FindLaw's Injured)
- Nissan Recalls 470,000 Vehicles Over Possible Fuel Leaks (FindLaw's Common Law)