Charpentier Law Firm Blog

DETROIT (AP) — According to the article Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 10,000 redesigned 2013 Escape SUVs to fix carpet padding that could get in the way of braking. Ford says that wrongly positioned carpet padding could reduce space around the pedals and cause drivers to hit the side of the brake pedal when switching from the accelerator. Dealers will remove the carpet padding and replace a console trim panel at no charge. The article goes onto say that Ford recall covered 8,266 vehicles in the U.S. and affected about 2,000 vehicles in Canada and a couple of hundred in Mexico. Ford has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem. The recall is expected to begin July 23^rd. Owners maybe call the automaker at 866-436-7332.

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An article by Dave Searle in the February, 2012 edition of the MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS reported that Honda has documented 26 cases of rear brake lock-up so Honda has recalled all its GL1800s produced in model years 2001 through 2012, and in addition, Honda has put a stop-sale order in place at dealerships until the machines can be checked for problems.

It seems the problem has two parts: In normal operation, when the front brake lever is used, as the left front caliper grips the rotor, it will pivot upward to press on a secondary master cylinder which has brake lines that go back to the rear caliper. This pressure causes the two outboard pistons of the three piston rear caliper to energize, giving the effect of Linked or Combined (as Honda now calls it) braking, a standard feature of the GL1800.

After careful review of its parts suppliers, Honda determined that there is a potential stack-up of tolerances between the various pieces that make up this assembly: the caliper, caliper bracket, the fork leg, the secondary master cylinder and the pushrod that activates the secondary master cylinder. In the worst-case situation, if all those tolerances stack-up exactly wrong and the piston cup inside the secondary master cylinder swells up, there is a chance that the compensating port (a small hole in the master cylinder that is ordinarily covered by movement of the piston as it is energized) could be blocked by the piston cup and unable to release line pressure when the brake lever is released. In this case, residual pressure remains in the system, in effect applying the rear brake to some degree even when the front brake lever is released. The symptoms include a sensation of lost power, lower gas mileage and a sense that the rear brake is dragging. It’s also possible that this can cause the rear disc to overheat to the extent that it can ignite a fire. However, due to the almost fully enclosed nature of the Gold Wing’s rear bodywork, it isn’t easy for an owner to examine the rear brake or caliper.

To test the system, Honda has devised a special tool that it will immediately distribute to all its dealers. The tool will create the effect of maximum tolerance stack on the secondary rear master cylinder so that a pass/fail test can be administered. This is how it works: The left front caliper is held by two bolts. To install the tool, the upper bolt is removed, and the lower bolt loosened. The tool, which is like a bolt with a necked-down section, then allows the caliper to be repositioned upward slightly (by an amount equal to the maximum tolerance stack). If the brake still works correctly in this position, the bike does not have a problem. If it doesn’t, the secondary master cylinder will be replaced free of charge.

By the time you read this, recall notices should be in the hands of Gold Wing GL1800 owners and dealers will be prepared to handle the volume of service calls. If you suspect your own Gold Wing is affected by this condition, it is suggested that you park it until it can be trailered to a dealer for repair.

 If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident whether due to a defective product or not, you can benefit from the experience and knowledge of the Brevard County products liability lawyers http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/trucking-accidents.html at Charpentier Law Firm, P.A. Our Brevard Accident Attorneys are here to help.Click Here: 

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Florida Today-December 30, 2010-Associated Press-According to this article auto makers recalled about 20 million vehicles in 2010, led by high-profile recalls by Toyota that prompted new scrutiny of the auto industry safety record. According to the article the number of recalls in 2010 is the most since 2004 when the auto industry set a record with 30.8 million recalled vehicles. Toyota recalled about 7.1 million vehicles in 2010. Safety recalls can be expensive for car manufacturers costing in the tens of millions of dollars. In addition, according to the article, safety recalls have become more common since 2000, when Congress passed legislation to spot safety defects more quickly in the aftermath of the massive Firestone Tire recalls.

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The Associated Press (December 7, 2010) reported the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Target Corporation announced the recall of “about 1,500 Circo Children’s Space Combo Packs” because “the tent’s floor poses a fire hazard.” The Consumer Product Safety and the Retailer urged owners of the product to “immediately stop using the tents and return them to any Target location for a full refund or store credit.” Thankfully, so far ” no injuries have been reported.”

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Wall Street Journal (December 8, Helliker)-reports that a first-of-its-kind suit U.S. Smokeless Tobacco agreed to five million dollar settlement in a wrongful death suit from the family of a life-long tobacco chewer who died of mouth cancer. The deceased began using Skoll and Copenhagen tobacco at age thirteen. According to the plaintiffs attorney, “the fact that he was addicted as a child took away any personal responsibility defense, and the absents of any label meant they couldn’t say, “we warned you”.”

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CNN Money (Decembe1, 2010-Kavilanz) This article reports that a year after FDA warnings to “get its act together,” inspectors at Johnson & Johnson McNeil Consumer Health Care unit “continue to find problems.” The article points out that between January and September 2010 inspectors found “49-customer complaints of product mix-ups.” Recently, a report listed eight separate violations. According to the FDA the company’s Puerto Rico drug manufacturing facility lacks “quality controls….safe guards to isolate, single “rejected-single” raw materials and drugs.” The article goes onto note the “Puerto Rico plant was a source of millions of adult Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl drugs that were recalled in late 2009, in January 2010, and again in July 2010 over concerns of a moldy, musty color.” The company remains the focus of an FDA criminal investigation.

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The American Association for Justice ( December 2, 2010) reports, unforseen hazards are still finding their way into toys despite recently improved safety standards, illustrating the need for a strong civil justice system that protects children and holds negligent manufacturers accountable, according to a new report recently released by the American Association for Justice (AAJ).

For years, corporations have knowingly shipped toys with hidden dangers like small parts, loose magnets, asbestos, and other toxic chemicals until outraged from parents and civil actions forced regulators or manufacturers to act.

“As toys have become more sophisticated, so too have the risk associated with them,” said AAJ President Gibson Vance. Protecting our children required vigilance from everyone. According to the article regulators, parents, manufacturers and the civil justice system all play a part in keeping dangerous toys off store shelves.

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According to an article in Health Day News (November 19, 2010) at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Xanodyne pharmaceuticals have agreed to withdraw Propoxyphene, an opiate used to treat mild to moderate pain, from the U.S. market due to the risk of potentially serious or even fatal heart rhythm heart abnormalities. This drug is sold by prescription as a single agent (Darvon) or in combination with Acetaminophen (Darvocet). Apparently the FDA recently sought to request withdraw of Propoxyphene from the market, as the agency concluded that the risk of Propoxyphene out weighed the benefits of the drug. According to the article new clinical data presented to the FDA revealed the potential of heart rhythm abnormalities related to the drug.

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According to an Associated Press report (November 30, 2010) a Federal Judge in Maine denied class actions status to smokers suing Phillip Morris. According to the suit, “smokers of Marlboro Lights, Virginia Slims Lights and other light cigarettes were misled into thinking that the cigarettes contained less tar and nicotine.” Apparently the judges ruling noted that the class included members who were aware that light cigarettes were no healthier than regular cigarettes and “those class members were not injured by the dependent’s misconduct and thus do not have standing.” One of the plaintiff’s attorneys said the ruling is being considered for an appeal.

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Washington Post – November 30, (Layton) reports, “the Senate is expected to vote on legislation that would revamp food safety, give significant new authority to the food and drug administration and place new responsibilities on farmers and processors to keep food from contamination.” The Washington Post article explains that “a verison of the bill easily passed in the house more than a year ago but has had problems in the Senate. Apparently majority leader Harry Reid is pushing to get the bill passed before the lane-duct session ends in December 2010.”

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