Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog

General Motors recalling over 270,000 2009 model motor vehicles because of a shift lever defect. The Chevrolet Malibu, HHR, and Traverse, the Saturn Outlook and Aura, the Pontiac G6 and G5, the Buick Enclave, and the GMC Acadia are included in the recall.

The problem with the shift lever is that when a motorist places it in the ‘Park’ mode in automatic cars, the transmission may not actually be in the ‘Park’ setting, which means the car could roll away if the handbrake hasn’t been activated. Fortunately, many of these vehicles have yet to leave the dealer lots, which means that just approximately 75,000 GM vehicles that were sold will have to be brought back in.

Auto Defects Can Lead to Products Liability
Defective autos and auto parts can result in serious auto accidents and injuries. While many times a recall can save lives before the defect can cause a vehicle to malfunction and cause a serious auto accident, there are those injuries and deaths that do occur because of a defective auto part.

Common yet deadly auto defects:

• Poorly designed vehicle roofs
• Defective tires
• Problems with the seat backs
• Defective gas tanks
• Faulty seat belts
• Defective breaks
• Airbag defects
• Door latch problems
• SUV rollover-related defects
• 15-passenger van-related defects

Auto manufacturers are supposed to make sure that their vehicles and the parts they use will not result in Chicago motor vehicle accidents. When failure to ensure this duty of care results in personal injury or wrongful death, the injured party and his or her family may file an auto products liability claim against the auto maker and/or the motor vehicle parts manufacturer.

GM recalls more than 270,000 vehicles due to faulty shifter, Motor Authority, March 17, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Auto Recalls, Justia

Safety Problems and Issues, NHTSA