Minivans, the vehicle of choice for many safety-conscious parents, are unfortunately not exempt from dangerous defects.
Recently, Christopher Jensen from the New York Times reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a possible airbag defect in 320,000 Honda Odyssey minivans.
According to the NHTSA, six complaints were filed regarding the minivan’s airbags. One complaint reported that the airbags deployed while the vehicle was stopped, even though the minivan had not been involved in a collision.
The NHTSA is also looking into a 2009 recall by G.M. involving faulty brake lights, which did not light up when the driver pushed the brake pedal. In 2009, G.M. recalled 8,000 Pontiac G6 models from 2005-6. The NHTSA will determine whether or not G.M. should have also recalled an additional 550,000 vehicles.
The article stated, “In the safety agency’s latest report, investigators said they found enough reason for concern to upgrade the recall-query investigation to an engineering analysis. The newly discovered information includes 314 complaints from owners, with a report of one crash without injuries.”
These investigations by the NHTSA illustrate the importance of keeping up to date with vehicle recalls. Consumers can be lulled into a state of false security, thinking that the vehicle they bought—with its numerous safety features—is completely safe. But even vehicles touted for their safety record, like minivans, can be subject to dangerous defects. Consumers must also remember that recalls can be ongoing. They should check often with NHTSA Recalls & Defects to make sure that their vehicle has not be recalled.