Ford recently recalled nearly 550,000 Super Duty SuperCrew trucks across North America with a faulty seatbelt pretensioner design that generates excessive sparks that have caused quickly spreading fires along the cloth and carpet interior lining of the cab.
A pretensioner is the part of the seatbelt system that rapidly locks the seatbelt in place in the event of a sudden deceleration or accident. Although some pretensioners use mechanical and electrical triggering mechanisms, the pretensioners in the Ford Super Duty SuperCrew use a pyrotechnic triggering mechanism that emits hot gases at temperatures of a short-lived blowtorch when activated. Obviously this could trigger a fire when mounted along a cloth or carpet interior.
Ford plans to fix this defect by adding heat-reflecting tape on nearby carpet and by adding dampening material to the trim around the device. GM, which has recalled over 500,000 trucks due to the same issue, plans to fix the flaw by sealing off an opening in the bracket that holds the pretensioner.
The attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner have been fighting for the rights of individuals injured by defective products for decades. If you or someone you know has been injured by a defect in a car or in any other product, contact the experienced attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner at (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.