There have been multiple lawsuits in the news lately seeking accountability for automotive defects that have led to unsafe driving. In addition to these GM ignition switch and Takata airbag lawsuits, a new class action suit was filed in August that claims keyless ignitions are unsafe to consumers.
This lawsuit is targeted towards ten of the largest automobile manufacturers: Ford, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Kia, Volkswagen, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Bentley. Keyless ignition vehicles have become very popular in recent years because they allow a “push button” start instead of having to use a physical key. It is widely believed that these vehicles’ motors will shut off when the electronic key fob is taken far enough away from the vehicle. This legal complaint addresses the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning when vehicle owners exit their cars with the key fobs, under the impression that the vehicle will shut off, but in reality the engines remain on. This has become especially dangerous when said vehicle is parked in a garage attached to the vehicle owner’s home.
Investigations by various legal and news organizations claim that at least 13 deaths can be attributed to keyless ignition vehicle carbon monoxide poisoning. In each of these instances, drivers unintentionally left their vehicles running while parked in garages or other enclosed spaces. Even more disturbing is the claim that various automakers and federal regulators failed to take action to rectify the problem, even after agreeing that there was a problem as far back as 2011.
According to the keyless ignition law suit, approximately five million automobiles are affected by this dangerous defect.
Legal teams are seeking that automakers be required to install automatic shut-off features in every keyless ignition vehicle to ensure safety.
Categories: Safety Tips
