BMW has issued a vehicle defect recall for an unspecified number of Z4 30i and 35i cars from the 2009 model year for a seat belt defect, according to a consumer alert issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The vehicles that are being recalled were manufactured between March 10 and March 19 of this year. The defective product recall involves a faulty crimp connector in a belt tensioner wiring plug. This defective connector could lead to increased electrical resistance of that connection, which in turn, could cause the seat belt tensioner to fail in the event of a crash. Such seat belt failure could of course, result in catastrophic personal injury or death to the car's occupants. The auto maker has not provided all details of this product recall to the NHTSA, but owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117 for more information.

Seat belt Defects Cause Devastating Injuries

I hope BMW provides consumers with all the information they need to remedy this serious problem. Seat belt defects are a serious auto product liability issue. Although the use of seat belts has been strongly promoted in the United States for many years now, seat belt failure causes significant personal injuries to both adults and children. Some injuries that may occur as a result of faulty or defective seat belts include traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, concussions and paralysis.

In car accidents, there are any number of ways a seat belt system can fail. Many of the "side release" seat belts are prone to "false latching." Many "end release" seat belts are also subject to unlatching in car accidents. Our auto products liability attorneys have seen many cases of seat restraint system failures involving seat belt mounts, buckles, webbing and grabbers. In many auto product defect cases, we have uncovered internal documents and memos that show the auto manufacturer had prior knowledge of these vehicle defects, but still put their products in the market. We have settled many auto products liability cases with auto makers where these seat belt failures caused serious injuries.

California Auto Products Liability Attorney

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident and if you suspect it was due to a defective auto product, please contact a reputed California personal injury lawyer with significant experience and a winning track record in auto product liability cases. If you have been injured in a car accident, it is always a good idea to preserve the crashed vehicle in its current condition, unaltered, so it may be carefully examined by an expert for product defects, mechanical problems and other evidence.