Volkswagen of America Inc. said Monday it would recall 790,000 vehicles because of problems with the brake light switch, according to an Associated Press news report published in the Chicago Sun-Times.
According to an announcement on the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration , the recall involves several vehicles including 1999 to 2006 model years of the Golf and GTI; 2001 to 2005 Jettas; 2001 to 2007 new Beetles and the 2004 R32. This recall is reportedly an extension of an earlier recall announced last year of some Jettas and new Beetles because of the same defect.
Volkswagen told NHTSA that the brake light switches in the vehicles could malfunction if they were not properly installed. The automaker also said the light could stay on or not work at all, which would fail to provide other motorists with the proper braking signal and potentially lead to a crash.
Last year, the company recalled 362,000 Jetta and Beetle sedans because of similar problems with the brake lights. That recall affected Jettas from the 1999 to 2002 model years and new Beetles from the 1998 to 2002 model years.
Officials also said the latest recall is an extension of the previous one because the company “found that there was a broader pool of vehicles that had the defective part.”
He said owners of 2001 to 2002 Jettas and Beetles who already had the repairs completed following last year’s recall would not need to return for a second time. VW dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in late April.
Good for Volkswagen! Get the defective autos off the street and repaired before there are any injuries. Not all manufacturers will recall defective vehicles. Either the cost in dollars, pride, prestige or a combination thereof, keeps some manufacturers from recalling defective automobiles when problems become apparent. I applaud the auto manufacturers that step up quickly and do the right thing. If you look at which manufacturers are quick to recall defective products and which ones are making a good profit, you’ll find a correlation. If you look at which manufacturers are slow or do not recall their defective automobiles and which ones are losing money and market share, you will find a correlation as well.
At Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, we’ve represented numerous people on product liability cases against major auto makers such as GM. A lot of people I’ve met have been badly hurt because of defective auto products. And that’s exactly why I always appreciate an auto maker who has the guts to admit their products are defective – even if there may be hundreds of thousands of them out there.
I can say with confidence that not all auto makers do that.
We have extensive experience representing those who have been injured as a result of auto accidents caused by defective products. Call me for a free consultation.