Lawsuit leads to massive recall of Dodge trucks

On Behalf of O’Malley Tunstall PLLC | May 17, 2017 | Products Liability

North Carolina motorists who own certain Dodge Ram models should watch out for recall notices. The manufacturer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, has initiated a recall of over 1.25 million pickup trucks because of a software error that could disable side air bags or interfere with seat belt functions.

The company discovered the problem after launching an investigation when a lawsuit claimed that a defective system prevented airbag deployment during the rollover crash of a 2014 model Dodge Ram 1500. As a result, the automaker chose to recall over 1 million Dodge Ram 1500 and 2500 trucks from model years 2013 through 2016. Owners of Dodge Ram 3500 trucks in the United States from model years 2014 through 2016 should expect recall notices as well.

Software fixes will be paid for by Fiat Chrysler. The company also offered an easy way for owners to evaluate the status of their current vehicles immediately. They can turn their trucks on and off and look at the warning light displays. If a specific warning light is illuminated, the software system could be prone to error. If the light is off during the reset, then the software is working correctly.

When a person is injured in an automobile crash, especially when the cause is not readily apparent, an attorney might help investigate the issue. The attorney could check to see if any other lawsuits naming similar problems exist or enlist an independent accident investigator to determine what went wrong. A defective part in the vehicle could result in the the manufacturer bearing financial responsibility under the theory of products liability.