36,000 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain Vehicles Recalled
The automaker General Motors has had to announce a recall of over 36,000 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles in a worldwide recall because of a defect affecting the monitoring system in the vehicle for tire pressure. The affected vehicles are in the 2012 model years. The company said the defect could prevent the car from notifying the driver that the tire pressure is below federal standards. They said if the tire is not inflated properly, it could result in damage to the tire causing it to blow out and force the driver in a serious accident.
Under normal circumstances, the warning system installed in the vehicle will light up when the vehicle’s tire pressure reaches 25% below federal standards. However, in the current defective vehicles, the warning light is not lighting up until after that 25% has been surpassed.
There are a number of things that can occur because of the defect in the tire pressure system that could possibly put drivers in serious danger. The tire blowout is only one scenario that could possibly occur if the tires are not properly inflated. In addition, the tire could wear out more easily and the tires could lose traction on the roadway leading to very serious accidents because the driver loses control of the vehicle. The lack of tread in the tire could also cause the car to skid on icy roads or in high speed situations such as on highways where the speed limit is increased compared to other roadways.
The announcement of this recall could possibly prevent these types of accidents from occurring but the chance is still there while the defective vehicles are still on the road. The earlier the drivers of these vehicles are notified about the recall, the better the chances will be that the defective vehicles will be removed from roadways and be repaired. With each recall, the number of affected vehicles is vital because that determines exactly how many people could be in danger because of the defects.
If the company had withheld the information about the defects they could possibly have been held accountable if an accident had occurred as a result of the defects with the tire pressure monitoring system. Unlike some other minor defective parts, a monitoring system that could compromise the safety of the vehicle is a very serious defect regardless of the number of vehicles that are affected by it and thousands of people could be in serious danger. If any drivers are affected by this recall and are involved in a serious accident because of it, they should contact an attorney who can represent them in court to get compensation for the damage to their vehicle and the injuries they suffer as a result.
