Toyota isn’t the only car giant facing questions about floor mats in some of its vehicles from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency has now opened an investigation into 250,000 Ford Motor Co. vehicles following three complaints involving optional floor mats, said the Detroit News. The NHTSA issued a warning yesterday that […]
Toyota isn’t the only car giant facing questions about <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/defective_vehicle_parts">floor mats in some of its vehicles from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency has now opened an investigation into 250,000 Ford Motor Co. vehicles following three complaints involving optional floor mats, said the Detroit News.
The NHTSA issued a warning yesterday that drivers of Ford’s 2010 Fusion and Mercury Milan should refrain from using unsecured all-weather floor mats, whether made by Ford or any after-market retailer, on top of the standard carpeted floor mat on the driver’s foot well, said the Detroit News.
According to a statement on its the NHTSA Website, an “All Weather†optional floor mat should be placed in the driver’s side foot well only after first unfastening and removing the standard, carpeted floor mat. This is the only way to ensure that the “All Weather†optional floor mat is physically secured to the floor, the advisory said. The Ford original equipment floor mats have special attachment opening points to safely secure them to the floor of the driver’s side foot well.
The NHTSA has ramped up its investigations following criticism that it is a “failed†agency and that it has not done more regarding the ongoing sudden acceleration problems at Toyota, said Detroit News, which noted that the agency has been opening more and more investigations based on less complaints. The current Ford investigation was made with no accident or injury reports, which was confirmed by Ford spokesman Said Deep, who said Ford is not aware of any incidents or accidents with the two vehicles; the NHTSA also confirmed it had no reports or injuries, wrote the Detroit News.
Last month, the agency opened another investigation into 161,000 Dodge Calibers following five sticky accelerator pedal complaints, also with no accident or injury reports, said Detroit News.
Deep said, “We do not recommend stacking floor mats in any vehicle from any automaker,” noting that such mats contain an advisory to drivers not to stack them on other mats, reported the Detroit News. “All owners of these vehicles should ensure that any mat used is properly secured and never stacked,” the NHTSA—which verified three consumer complaints linked to the 2010 Ford Fusion—said in a statement, quoted the Detroit News.
One of the NHTSA complaints originated with Dan Edmunds, Edmunds.com’s director of vehicle testing, said the Detroit News. In April, Edmunds’ improperly installed all-weather floor mat briefly jammed the accelerator pedal. Edmunds.com said the incident—which took place in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid—“was a harsh reminder that unintended acceleration is not limited to a particular brand,” quoted the Detroit News.
The Website also pointed out that Edmunds “had written articles and made videos warning consumers of the danger of stacking all-weather floor mats on top of normal carpeted mats. The fact that he could find himself in this frightening situation was the result of a combination of coincidental events and a reminder that it can happen to anyone.”
