Recent news reports concerning defective automotive parts, especially keyless fobs, has resulted in ten big name automotive manufacturers being named in a class action suit. The plaintiffs have alleged that nearly 13 deaths (which have been documented) have resulted from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of this feature installed in the vehicles. Nearly five million vehicles are at present being used world-wide which carry this particular feature. If you have been the victim of injury caused by such a keyless system, find a personal injury attorney immediately.

What Are Keyless Fobs?

Keyless access systems first debuted in the 1980s. These remote systems used a hand-held transmitter to unlock the driver’s door when a particular access code was entered into the keypad. The trunk and other doors, sunroof, hood etc could be opened with other entry codes. The short range radio transmitter combines a sequence of flashing lights, discreet beeps in different long and short combinations etc to signal opening and closing. They are also connected to the ignition and starter systems of the vehicle. The car can be started by the push of a button on the dashboard even if the fob is located in your pocket or purse but the vehicle will not start if the fob is not electronically detected.

The biggest advantage of these systems is that they are convenient and easy to use. If you’re on your phone, or carrying a stack of groceries, this system is ideal. People with disabilities, arthritis or parents of young children find it a boon. In fact, some of the reasons provided could be quite amusing – that they don’t spoil your manicure! They’re so popular in fact that they’re built in to the car as a standard feature, at manufacturing stage itself and the customer doesn’t have to purchase it as an aftermarket accessory.

Why Key less Fobs are Dangerous

One of the common misconceptions about keyless fobs is that they turn the vehicle’s ignition off automatically. However, this is far from reality. Once the car is started, the keyless system allows it to continue running though the fob is far away from the car. This leads to deadly build up of toxic fumes in cars parked inside garages. The fumes can travel inside the house and pose a hazard to residents. Some vehicles have features that alert drivers that the engine is still running, while others have an “auto-off” feature that can turn off the engine after a specific time of idling. Other vehicles alert the driver if the driver’s door is opened with the engine left running.

Another dangerous feature that’s overlooked by drivers, some models of keyless fob enabled vehicles begin rolling after they have been parked. Several drivers have injured themselves when their cars continued moving after they’d gotten out, while pedestrians have been knocked down when a parked car suddenly moved out. This is because the electronic key fob continues to be in operation even after the driver has left the car. It allows the engine to keep running and the car to be shut down while in drive position and the key fob removed from the vehicle thus leading to unexpected rolling.

Sudden and out-of-control acceleration is another hazard faced by owners/drivers of vehicles with keyless systems.

Keeping these facts in mind, if you or a loved one has been the victim of an accident involving a keyless fob, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately to safeguard your rights and institute proceedings against the manufacturer. Our free consultation injury lawyers can assist you.

How We Can Assist

Recent lawsuits filed against big name auto giants have alleged that these keyless fobs violate or circumvent important federal government motor vehicle safety and design regulations which were formulated to protect the public at large. Negligent failure to recall such vehicles, fraudulent concealment, violation of state protection acts etc are some of the charges. Auto manufacturers consciously incorporate such unsafe devices in their vehicles and promote them as smart and convenient features.

Our experienced personal injury lawyers can assist you by conducting a thorough assessment of your claims and providing you with a genuine opinion regarding their legal validity. We work on a no win no fee basis and if there is an on going class action lawsuit, our serious injury lawyers can assist you with joining this group while protecting your interests and rights. Some of our personal injury lawyers have specialized knowledge in these keyless systems, or they can arrange for expert witnesses to testify. If you or a loved one is the victim of an accident or incident involving such systems, our 24×7 injury lawyers can represent you in all negotiations with the defendants and their insurers.

If you, your family or a friend has been injured in an accident, please feel free to speak to one of our injury lawyers for a free consultation about how we are able to assist in making a personal injury claim. We consult in all cities across Ontario with a no win no fee guarantee. Our personal injury lawyers have helped victims secure millions of dollars in personal injury cases. Call us Toll Free On our 24/7 Injury Hotline: 1 – 844 495 7333.