New York residents that drive Mitsubishi Mirage sedans may soon be receiving recall notices. The Japanese car manufacturer is recalling about 84,000 compact cars because of a potentially deadly flaw in their airbag control systems. Mitsubishi announced the recall on Nov. 17, saying that the dealers will begin rectifying the problem at no charge. Work can commence almost immediately because the repair involves reprogramming computers, and no special parts are required.
According to Mitsubishi, the restraint computers fitted to Mirage models may interpret the vibrations caused by a flat tire or rough road surface as a sensor error and deactivate the vehicle’s seven life-saving airbags. However, the company was quick to say that they are not aware of any instances where Mirage occupants have been killed or suffered injuries because of the problem. They pointed out that a dashboard light in the Mirage notifies drivers when their airbags have been disconnected.
The recall affects Mirages produced for the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 model years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Mitsubishi technicians will remedy the problem by checking and reprogramming the sensors fitted to the Mirage safety restraint system’s electronic control unit.
Manufacturers should be commended when they act proactively to protect consumers from harm and held responsible when they do not. Experienced personal injury attorneys may seek punitive as well as compensatory damages when their clients have been injured by products that their makers knew to be dangerous. Product liability issues can severely damage corporate reputations and cause sales to plummet dramatically. Attorneys may urge manufacturers facing this kind of litigation to bear this in mind when they decide whether to take their chances in open court.
