The motor vehicle you drive works through the integration of multiple, complex systems that allow for control of the vehicle and safety of the occupants inside. From the brakes to the transmission, the multiple different systems in your vehicle must all work together seamlessly to allow for a safe driving experience.

You trust your vehicle and the company that makes it with your life and the lives of the people you love, and sometimes, the companies that make vehicles don’t live up to the trust you place in them. The design of most vehicles involves significant review and testing to ensure safety before products ever reach consumers.

Unfortunately, sometimes mistakes happen in the design or production process for a vehicle that can drastically impact how safe the vehicle is for people to drive. A recent Ford recall highlights how a single, simple issue can make a vehicle substantially more dangerous.

People trying to shift gears in recalled vehicles might leave them in drive

Ford announced the recall of almost 68,000 2020 models including the popular F-150, Ranger and Expedition models. Only the versions of these vehicles with 10-speed automatic transmissions are part of the recall. Ford claims they recalled before learning of any injuries that resulted from the defect.

There is a transmission cable that may have gotten installed improperly on affected vehicles. The result is that when drivers think they put the vehicle into one gear, it is actually still in drive. People could try to put the vehicle in park or reverse, only to realize that the vehicle is still in drive when it begins moving forward. Initial figures from the recall indicate that there are 55,158 recalled vehicles in the United States, over 12,000 of them in Canada and nearly 700 in Mexico.

Those hurt by faulty or defective vehicles have rights

When you purchase a brand new vehicle, you expect it to come off the lot in pristine condition. Receiving a vehicle that has a dangerous defect such as not shifting into the right gear, could endanger you and your loved ones and result in both personal liability and property damage if you experience an issue with the vehicle.

Those who have suffered injuries, property damage or the loss of a loved one because of a defective vehicle or vehicle component may have the right to hold the manufacturer responsible for their failure to adequately test the product before it reached the market.