Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Auto safety recalls continue this month with a notice filed with the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) by Mitsubishi for the voluntary recall of approximately 30,000 Lance models. According to the report, the defect cited by the Japanese car maker has to do with the proper function of the airbag system. Having represented numerous individuals injured or killed in automobile accidents, I can truly say that malfunctioning airbags are a big safety concern.
This latest recall focuses on 2008 and 2009 Lancers and Lancer Evolutions models either registered or originally sold in nearly two dozen “salt belt” states. The potential problem could prevent the airbags from deploying properly in the event of an accident. According to the recall, Mitsubishi explains that in areas where road salt is heavily used during the winter months, long term exposure to a mixture of melted snow and road salt could corrode the airbag sensors.
The corrosion could result in a delay in proper deployment of the airbags during a traffic accident, which “could result in driver or passenger injury.” Depending on the severity of the collision, faulty airbags could also result in death.
According to reports, the recall affects vehicles originally sold or currently registered in 23 states, including Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Mitsubishi says that it will install new front airbag sensors that have improved corrosion resistance. The fix will be made free of charge and owners should have received a recall letter by this time.
Recall Alert: Mitsubishi Lancer, Lancer Evolution, USNews.com, November 17, 2009