According to CNN Money, Rolls-Royce Motors Inc. is now recalling nearly 600 Ghost sedans in the U.S. They’re being recalled because of a potential fire hazard. The circuit board could overheat and cause the car to go up in flames. This recall has been issued to prevent any injury in West Palm Beach and elsewhere caused by a manufacturer’s defect.
This recall is just like the one that affected more than 30,000 BMW vehicles that came with both 8- and 12-cylinder turbocharged engines. The recalled Rolls-Royce vehicle is built just like the 7-series BMW sedan and is powered by a V-12, 563 horsepower 6.6-liter twin-turbo BMW-built motor.
Our West Palm Beach car accident attorneys understand that the price of the vehicle has nothing to do with recalls and potential defects. Even the most expensive vehicles can be manufactured with defects. The Rolls-Royce Ghost is the company’s cheapest model, running about $250,000.
Still, with such expensive cars, nearly 2,000 are being recalled. Nearly 600 of these recalls are in the U.S. Motorists are urged to look into safety ratings and other car information before considering purchasing a vehicle. A safe car may be one of you best defenses against injury in the event of a car accident.
What can happen is the circuit board that controls the vehicle’s water pump can overheat. This pump is used to cool off the turbocharger. Overheating can lead to smoldering of the water pump and, ultimately, to a fire.
“This may also lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire,” said Rolls-Royce in a recent release.
When the car begins to overheat, the driver should be alerted by a warning light located in the vehicle’s gauge cluster.
Since late October, there have been more than 100 incidents where water pumps have failed in BMW vehicles. Two of these reports resulted in fires. If you own one of these defective vehicles, you’re asked to take your car into a BMW or a Rolls-Royce dealer to have the water pump replaced for free.
Typically during the fall season, new-model vehicles are released. This is when residents perk up to look into getting a new car. This year, the sales of General Motors Co. in the U.S. have increased by about 2 percent. The sales were headed by the Equinox crossover and the Chevrolet Cruze.
GM sold about 200,000 vehicles in October alone. The sales of cars have spiked by nearly 5 percent among passenger cars and about 2 percent among trucks during the month. Its sales of crossover sport utility vehicles dropped by about 1 percent though.
“There are still are some underlying consumer confidence issues,” said Jonathan Browning, chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America.
Despite the increase in sales, some car companies have spent fewer hours perfecting their vehicles and making sure they go through rigorous enough testing. They have mandates to hit, but should go the extra mile to ensure their customers are safe.
Before purchasing a vehicle, you’re urged to check our safety ratings on http://www.safercar.gov/. Consumers should always keep safety in mind when looking at a new car.
The car accident lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC represent victims and their families in Margate, Miami, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie and Fort Lauderdale. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, call 1-800-561-7777 today for a free consultation to discuss your rights.
Additional Resources:
Rolls-Royce Ghost sedans recalled for fire risk, by Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Money
More Blog Entries:
FHP Uses Operation Safe Driver Campaign to Help Reduce Bus and Truck Accidents in Tamarac and Elsewhere, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, October 16, 2011
Ford Explorers Targeted in SUV Rollover Accidents in Fort Pierce and Elsewhere, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, August 6, 2011