Ford Recalls Nearly Half a Million Escapes Due to Problematic Pedal | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What Happened:

Ford Motor Company announced the recall of nearly half a million Escapes (421,000 to be exact) that were sold in the U.S. Why is a recall needed? Because of a defect that can cause the gas pedal to stick.

Best Injury Lawyers in VirginiaThere have already been 68 complaints, 13 accidents, nine injuries, and one death allegedly associated with this problematic gas pedal. The defective gas pedal is suspected to be in the Escape model years of 2001 through 2004 with the 3.0-liter, V-6 engine, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer safety group, is claiming that, based on the age of the Escapes and the high number of complaints, that Ford probably knew about the defective pedal for quite a while and took no action. They believe Ford should be fined upwards of $17 million for their negligent response to this safety defect.

The Virginia Injury Lawyer’s Perspective:

The injured victims and the family of the victim who lost her life (an Arizona teenager) may have grounds to pursue legal action against Ford for their response to this defective gas pedal. Obviously, further investigation is necessary to determine when exactly Ford became aware of the defect, but the fact that this defect can be found in models that are more than 10 years does lend credence to the Center for Auto Safety’s argument that Ford failed to take action within a reasonable period of time.

Potentially Helpful Info:

Our firm published an article on defective products and consumer rights if they suffer an injury from the defect. Take a moment to read the article here.

Have Questions? Check Out Our Firm’s FAQs:

FAQs for victims who have suffered defective product injuries.