Warning: Deadly Vehicle Stalls While Driving Due To Faulty Fuel Pumps
Dec 12, 2020
Today in Texas and across the country, dangerous vehicles remain on the road during the Coronavirus Pandemic, even though car makers are well aware of the risk of people dying in accidents caused by their defective parts or products.
Of course, there are issues involved in getting recall repairs completed during the quarantine and stay-at-home orders of 2020. The Pandemic complicates things. See, e.g. "Pandemic delays safety recall repair for Jeep Grand Cherokees," written by Susan Campbell and published by the Center for Auto Safety on October 14, 2020.
However, WigRum feels there is a lack of public awareness about a growing danger on the roads today involving literally millions of motor vehicles that can stall while being driven because of a flawed fuel pump.
Too many people are on the roads today in these defective product time bombs where the fuel pump can stall the vehicle, resulting in a horrific crash and the needless loss of life in an obviously preventable accident.
This is not a new revelation as the Pandemic Year ends. Stalling fuel pumps have been placed into all sorts of motor vehicles in this country, by a variety of auto makers. Recalls have been issued. News coverage has carried stories of these defective product dangers since 2018 and earlier.
Fuel Pumps Stall While Driving In Shocking Number of Popular Vehicles
The problem involves potentially deadly motor vehicle stalls as the vehicle is being driven due to a faulty fuel pump in a variety of popular cars, trucks, and SUVs including:
- Jeep Grand Cherokees, Jeep Renegades, and Dodge Durango SUVs built by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles;
- Toyota’s RAV4; FJ Cruiser; 4Runner; Land Cruiser; Highlander; Sienna; Avalon; Camry; Corolla; Sequoia; Tacoma; and Tundra;
- Lexus’ LS 460; GS 350; IS-F; GX 460; IS 350; LX 570; NX 200t; RC 350; IS 200t; RC 200t; GS 200t; GS 350; RX 350; GS 300; GX 460; IS 300; LS 500h; LX 570; NX 300; RC 300; ES 350; LC 500; LC 500h; LS 500; RX 350L; and UX 200;
- Acura’s NSX; RDX; RLX; and RLX hybrid; and
- Honda’s Accord; Civic; HR-V, Fit; and Insight.
For details on the specific makes and models subject to faulty fuel pump recalls presenting the danger of stalling while being driven, read the following news coverage of the various recall notices by the manufacturers here:
- “Toyota Adds 1.5 Million US Vehicles To Recalls For Engine Stalling: The Recall Affects More Than 40 Vehicles In The U.S. Dating To The 2013 Model Year, Covering Much Of The Toyota And Lexus Model Lineup,” written by the Associated Press and published by Detroit’s K5 News on October 28, 2020;
- “Honda, Acura Recalling Nearly 140,000 2018–2019 Vehicles for Fuel-Pump Problem,” written by Laura Sky Brown and published by Car and Driver on June 3, 2020;
- “Nearly 700,000 Jeep, Dodge SUVs recalled over electrical issues,” written by Noah Manskar and published by the New York Post on November 21, 2019;
- “2011-2013 Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee: Recall Alert,” written by Patrick Masterson and published in Cars.com on November 25, 2019; and
- “2017-2018 Jeep Renegade SUVs Recalled Due to Faulty Fuel Pump: Automaker Says a Loss in Fuel Pressure Means SUV Could Stall,” written by Jeff S. Bartlett and published in Consumer Reports on November 1, 2018.
Warning: Vehicles Can Stall in Traffic When Fuel Pump Fails
Millions of motor vehicles have been sold by manufacturers in this country with a defective part that causes the car, truck, or SUV to stall in the midst of being driven on a street, road, highway, or interstate.
Car makers have instituted half-hearted recall attempts over the years while these defective fuel pumps continue to appear in more and more makes and models. The Pandemic has given the manufacturers another excuse to deflect responsibility as distribution channels have slowed for the availability of replacement parts.
Accidents Need to Be Investigated for Fuel Pump Stall Defect as Cause of Crash
As advocates for accident victims and their families for many years, WigRum understands the reality that defective parts can, and do, result in tragedies where people perish in crashes that are caused by a manufacturing flaw or defect.
Investigations of serious and fatal motor vehicle accidents in Texas and elsewhere in this country should involve a consideration of the possibility that a faulty fuel pump was the cause of the crash, given the pattern of defective fuel pumps evidenced in the current automotive industry.
Our perspective and concern is based in no small part on our past experience with auto manufacturers and our fights to force car makers to take responsibility for deadly product defects released into the marketplace with fatal results.
WigRum co-founder Jeff Wigington has been interviewed as a news media expert in car defect injury matters for many years by such notables as the New York Times; CBS News’ 60 Minutes; the Los Angeles Times; and Bloomberg Law.
Mr. Wigington also served as lead/liaison counsel on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the Texas Toyota Sudden Unintended Acceleration MDL (multidistrict litigation) and as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in Texas GM (General Motors) Ignition Switch MDL.
WigRum’s auto defect recall injury experience includes two nine-figure jury verdicts involving defective automotive products:
- $225,000,000.00 Jury Verdict against the Ford Motor Company for door latch failure; and
- $124,496,993.97 Jury Verdict against Audi AG and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for seat back failure.
For more on our extensive experience in defective automotive product injury matters, please review our Verdict and Settlements and Case Summaries pages.
WigRum stands ready and considers it an honor to be in a position where we can be of service in the pursuit of justice in the aftermath of a serious or fatal motor vehicle crash caused by a defective fuel pump.
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