In February 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it was launching an investigation into 309,00 General Motors vehicles and 830,000 Toyota vehicles.
The announcement stemmed from a series of reports from drivers who claim their passenger side door caught on fire while they were driving. In each incident, the driver noticed smoke or heat coming from the door and pulled over to find part of the car in flames.
The safety agency is looking into the possibility that GM and Toyota use the same supplier for their electronic door parts.
According to the Huffington Post, it’s not as uncommon as you might think for cars to burst into flames. With modern cars depending on electric power for everything from locks to seat adjustment, the risk of faulty circuits has increased.
No one has died due to the flames so far, but the issue is obviously very serious nonetheless.
In 2009, Ford recalled 4.5 million cars because of a faulty cruise control switch that led to fires, even when the vehicle was turned off. In 2010, GM recalled 1.5 million cars and trucks because of a circuit board short that caused windshield wiper fluid to heat up and potentially catch on fire.
If you’ve ever been in an accident or car fire due to a defect in the automobile, you may be entitled to compensation. Our Memphis product liability lawyers have worked with victims of defective automobiles before, so we know how to help.
Contact us today or call 901-327-1212 to talk with an attorney for free about your situation.