Throughout automotive history, certain vehicles have gained notoriety not for their performance or style, but for their catastrophic design flaws that led to tragic consequences.
These engineering failures represent the darkest chapter of vehicular design, where oversight, cost-cutting, or willful negligence resulted in preventable deaths and injuries.
From fuel tanks prone to explosion upon impact to suspension systems that caused unpredictable handling, these design defects transformed otherwise ordinary vehicles into potential deathtraps.
The stories behind these flawed creations often follow a disturbing pattern: early warning signs dismissed, internal safety concerns overruled by profit motives, and corporate denial in the face of mounting evidence.
More than mechanical failures, these cases reflect profound ethical breakdowns within the automotive industry.
However, there is a silver lining to these tragic narratives each major safety scandal has ultimately led to stricter regulations, improved testing protocols and heightened awareness that has saved countless lives.
As we examine these twelve infamous examples, we witness not just engineering failures, but also the evolution of automotive safety consciousness that emerged from their deadly legacies.
1. Ford Pinto (1971-1980)
The Ford Pinto stands as perhaps the most infamous example of a deadly design flaw in automotive history, becoming a case study in corporate ethics and product liability.
Developed during the 1970s fuel crisis and rushed to production in just 25 months (rather than the typical 43), the Pinto harbored a catastrophic defect: its fuel tank was positioned behind the rear axle with minimal protection and separation from the passenger compartment.
In rear-end collisions, even at relatively low speeds of 20-30 mph, the tank could be punctured by bolts protruding from the differential or pushed into the rear axle, causing fuel leakage and potentially catastrophic fires.
What transformed this technical deficiency into a full-blown scandal was the discovery of the “Pinto Memo,” an internal Ford document that calculated the cost of improving the fuel tank design ($11 per vehicle) against the projected expense of legal settlements for burn deaths ($200,000 per life).
This cold calculus revealed that Ford had identified the problem before production but deemed fixing it more expensive than paying for the resulting deaths and injuries. This revelation shocked the public and forever damaged Ford’s reputation.
The human toll was devastating. While exact figures remain disputed, estimates suggest that Pinto’s fuel tank design contributed to between 500 and 900 burn deaths.
The most notable case involved the Ulrich family, whose 1973 Pinto was struck from behind, resulting in the car bursting into flames and killing three teenage girls.
The subsequent lawsuit, Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Company, resulted in a landmark $125 million punitive damages award (later reduced to $3.5 million).
In 1978, Ford finally issued a recall to modify the fuel tanks of 1.5 million Pintos and Mercury Bobcats.
The company added a plastic shield between the fuel tank and the differential, installed a longer fuel filler neck, and added reinforcements to prevent tank movement during collisions.
Production ended in 1980, but the Pinto case permanently changed product liability law and forced the auto industry to prioritize safety over cost considerations.
Today, Pinto remains the quintessential example of how prioritizing profits over human lives can lead to corporate disaster and preventable tragedy.
2. Chevrolet Corvair (1960-1969)
The Chevrolet Corvair earned its place in automotive infamy through a combination of revolutionary design and deadly handling characteristics that sparked the modern automotive safety movement.
Unlike conventional American cars, the Corvair featured a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine and swing-axle rear suspension innovations that inadvertently created a lethal handling flaw.
This unique configuration made the Corvair prone to sudden, unpredictable oversteer, particularly during emergency maneuvers or at higher speeds.
The technical issue stemmed from the rear swing axle design without a compensating mechanism.
During hard cornering, the outside wheel would experience “tuck under,” where extreme positive camber changes would cause the tire to lose contact with the road precisely when grip was most needed.
Combined with the rear weight bias, this made the Corvair prone to spin out or, worse, roll over with little warning.
The problem was exacerbated by Chevrolet’s decision to save $0.57 per car by omitting a front anti-roll bar that engineers had recommended during development.
The Corvair’s deadly design flaw gained national attention in 1965 when Ralph Nader published “Unsafe at Any Speed,” dedicating its first chapter to the Corvair under the damning title “The Sporty Corvair The One-Car Accident.”
Nader’s investigation revealed that GM knew about the handling issues but chose to conceal them rather than address them properly.
The ensuing controversy led to congressional hearings and eventually the creation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1970.
General Motors responded to the growing scandal by hiring private investigators to follow Nader, hoping to discredit him.
When this harassment became public, it only strengthened Nader’s credibility and further damaged GM’s reputation.
By 1964, GM had quietly implemented design changes including a transverse leaf spring that limited wheel tuck under, and later models (1965-1969) featured a completely redesigned suspension system with fully independent rear suspension.
3. Takata Airbags (Multiple Vehicles, 2002-2015)
While not a vehicle, Takata’s defective airbags represent perhaps the deadliest automotive design flaw in modern history, affecting tens of millions of vehicles across nearly two dozen manufacturers.
The catastrophic defect centered on the airbag inflator, which contained ammonium nitrate propellant without a chemical drying agent.
When exposed to heat and humidity over time, this propellant could degrade and become unstable, causing the metal inflator housing to explode upon deployment.
The consequences were horrific and often mistaken for violent attacks rather than equipment failure.
When these defective airbags deployed, they could spray metal shrapnel throughout the vehicle cabin at lethal speeds.
Victims suffered devastating injuries including severed carotid arteries, punctured eyes, shredded vocal cords, and penetrating brain injuries.
Some first responders initially believed victims had been attacked with knives or gunfire due to the nature of their wounds, rather than injured by a safety device designed to protect them.
What made the Takata case particularly egregious was evidence that the company had known about the defect for years but actively concealed it.
Internal documents revealed that Takata engineers had raised concerns about the unstable propellant as early as 2000.
When airbags began failing in testing, some test data was allegedly altered to hide the problem.
Even more disturbing, when Honda, one of Takata’s largest customers, began investigating early reports of injuries in 2004, Takata allegedly provided misleading information.
The scale of the defect was unprecedented eventually affecting over 100 million vehicles worldwide from manufacturers including Honda, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Nissan, and many others.
By 2023, at least 27 people had been killed and more than 400 injured in the United States alone, with additional fatalities reported globally.
The recalls became the largest and most complex in automotive history, with replacement parts shortages leaving millions driving potentially lethal vehicles for years.
The scandal ultimately bankrupted Takata in 2017, resulted in criminal charges against several executives, and forced the company to pay approximately $1 billion in fines and compensation.
The case exposed dangerous gaps in automotive safety oversight and led to significant reforms in how defects are reported and tracked.
Perhaps most importantly, it demonstrated how a single component’s flawed design could transcend brand boundaries to become an industry-wide safety crisis affecting millions worldwide.
4. Jeep Grand Cherokee (1993-2004)
The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s deadly design flaw centered on what safety advocates called its “gas tank ticking time bomb” a fuel tank positioned behind the rear axle in a location vulnerable to rupture during rear-end collisions.
This placement left just 11 inches between the plastic fuel tank and the rear bumper with minimal structural protection, creating a serious risk of fire or explosion even in moderate-speed impacts.
The design proved tragically flawed. When struck from behind, the Grand Cherokee’s tank could be punctured by sharp objects, crushed against the rear differential, or have its filler neck torn away from the tank itself.
Any of these failure modes could spray atomized fuel near hot exhaust components and electrical systems, creating perfect conditions for catastrophic fires.
Survivors and witnesses described vehicles engulfed in flames within seconds of impact, often trapping occupants inside.
Chrysler’s response to mounting evidence of the danger compounded the tragedy. Despite numerous fatal crashes and at least 75 documented fire deaths, the company initially resisted recalls, arguing that the vehicles met all federal safety standards of their time technically true, but increasingly recognized as an inadequate defense.
Internal documents later revealed that Chrysler engineers had identified the vulnerability during development but continued with production.
The most heartbreaking cases involved children like 4 year old Remington Walden, who burned to death after his aunt’s Grand Cherokee was struck from behind at an intersection.
The jury in that case awarded $150 million to the family after finding Chrysler had acted with “reckless disregard” for human life, though the award was later reduced to $40 million on appeal.
After years of pressure from safety advocates and the Center for Auto Safety, NHTSA finally pushed for a recall in 2013.
Chrysler initially resisted but eventually agreed to a limited “voluntary campaign” covering 1.56 million 1993-1998 Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 Liberty.
Rather than relocating the tanks, the fix involved installing a trailer hitch to provide marginal additional protection a solution many experts criticized as inadequate.
Also Read: 12 Cars That Were So Unsafe They Were Banned in Some Countries
5. Toyota Unintended Acceleration (2002-2010)
Toyota’s unintended acceleration crisis represents one of the most complex and controversial safety issues in automotive history.
Between 2002 and 2010, thousands of Toyota and Lexus vehicles exhibited a frightening tendency to suddenly accelerate uncontrollably, often with the driver unable to stop the vehicle despite braking efforts.
The phenomenon resulted in numerous crashes, with at least 89 deaths and 57 injuries officially attributed to the defect though many safety advocates believe the actual toll was significantly higher.
The technical causes behind this deadly flaw proved difficult to isolate and sparked intense debate.
Initially, Toyota attributed the problem to improperly installed or incompatible floor mats that could trap the accelerator pedal.
Later, they acknowledged that some accelerator pedal mechanisms could become sticky due to wear or environmental conditions.
However, many affected drivers reported incidents that couldn’t be explained by either cause, insisting their vehicles accelerated despite properly secured floor mats and functioning pedals.
Safety advocates and some independent engineers pointed to potential electronic throttle control system malfunctions as the root cause.
Toyota’s transition from mechanical throttle linkages to electronic “drive-by-wire” systems coincided with the surge in unintended acceleration complaints.
Critics argued that electromagnetic interference, software glitches, or faulty sensors could corrupt the electronic signals controlling engine power.
Toyota vehemently denied electronic causes played any role, but NASA engineers later identified scenarios where certain electronic failures could potentially cause unintended acceleration without setting diagnostic trouble codes.
The human impact was devastating. The most publicized case involved California Highway Patrol officer Mark Saylor and three family members, who died when their loaned Lexus ES 350 accelerated uncontrollably to over 100 mph before crashing.
The family’s desperate 911 call, captured their final moments and shocked the public. Equally troubling were revelations that Toyota had received numerous reports of similar incidents years earlier but classified them as “customer satisfaction” rather than safety issues.
The crisis ultimately resulted in multiple recalls affecting over 9 million vehicles worldwide, with fixes including revised floor mats, modified accelerator pedals, and software updates to implement brake override systems.
Toyota paid approximately $1.2 billion in fines and settlements, including a record $1.2 billion penalty to avoid prosecution for misleading regulators and consumers about the scope of the problem.
The case transformed automotive safety by making brake override systems (which automatically reduce engine power when brakes are applied regardless of accelerator input) an industry standard.
It also highlighted the new challenges of diagnosing and addressing safety defects in increasingly computerized vehicles, where software and electronic systems can create failure modes far more subtle and intermittent than traditional mechanical defects.
6. Firestone/Ford Explorer Crisis (1990-2001)
The deadly partnership between the Ford Explorer SUV and certain Firestone tires created one of the most lethal design flaws in automotive history not because either product was catastrophically flawed on its own, but because their combination created perfect conditions for disaster.
Between 1990 and 2001, Firestone Wilderness AT and ATX tires experienced catastrophic tread separation at an alarming rate, particularly when mounted on Ford Explorers.
When these failures occurred at highway speeds, the Explorer’s high center of gravity and suspension characteristics made it exceptionally prone to rolling over.
The technical issue stemmed from multiple factors. The Firestone tires suffered from manufacturing defects, particularly at the company’s Decatur, Illinois plant, where labor disputes had led to quality control issues.
These tires were prone to internal belt separation, especially when underinflated and operating in high temperatures.
Ford had exacerbated the problem by recommending tire pressures of 26 PSI (pounds per square inch) lower than Firestone’s recommendation of 30 PSI to improve the Explorer’s ride quality and reduce the risk of rollover during government stability testing.
The human toll was staggering. The defect was linked to over 271 confirmed deaths and more than 800 injuries in the United States alone, with many additional fatalities reported internationally.
Most victims died not from the tire failure itself but from the subsequent rollover crashes, which often ejected passengers or crushed the vehicle’s roof structure.
The most vulnerable were those in the back seats, where roof crush was most severe and seatbelt use was less consistent.
What transformed this technical problem into a full-blown scandal was evidence that both companies had early knowledge of the dangers yet delayed taking action.
Internal documents revealed that Firestone had data showing abnormally high failure rates years before the recall, while Ford had observed the same tire failures on Explorers in Venezuela and Saudi Arabia where heat accelerated the defect’s manifestation but initially limited corrective action to those markets.
Public outrage intensified when it was revealed that some Firestone executives had known about the problems for years.
A former Firestone steelworker testified that quality concerns were routinely dismissed, with one plant manager allegedly stating, “If you build them, they’ll buy them,” reflecting a callous disregard for safety.
The crisis ultimately led to the recall of 14.4 million tires and the passage of the TREAD Act (Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation Act), which established new requirements for reporting potential defects to NHTSA.
The Explorer/Firestone case stands as a stark example of how separate design compromises can interact to create deadly consequences, and how corporate reluctance to acknowledge safety issues can transform a manageable technical problem into a catastrophic failure costing hundreds of lives.
7. Samurai Suzuki (1985-1995)
The Suzuki Samurai’s deadly design flaw earned it the dubious distinction of being one of the most rollover-prone vehicles ever sold in the United States.
This compact SUV combined a narrow track width, relatively high center of gravity, and short wheelbase a recipe for instability during emergency maneuvers.
The problem reached public consciousness in 1988 when Consumer Reports published their now-famous “Not Acceptable” rating after the Samurai tipped onto two wheels during their testing, prompting concerns about real-world rollovers during emergency driving situations.
The technical issues stemmed from fundamental design choices that prioritized off-road capability over on-road stability.
The Samurai’s solid front axle and leaf spring suspension excellent for climbing rocks created unpredictable handling during rapid directional changes.
Its narrow body (just 66 inches wide) paired with a relatively tall ride height shifted the center of gravity dangerously high.
Most critically, the suspension design allowed excessive body roll, causing dramatic weight transfer during cornering that could unload the inside wheels to the point of lifting off the ground.
The human consequences were severe. Between 1985 and 1995, at least 213 deaths and 8,200 injuries were attributed to Samurai rollovers in the United States alone.
Rollovers are particularly dangerous crash modes, with victims often suffering catastrophic head and neck injuries from roof crush or ejection.
The Samurai’s lightweight roof structure provided minimal protection during rollovers, exacerbating injury severity.
Young drivers were disproportionately affected, as the vehicle’s affordable price and sporty image made it popular among newer drivers who lacked the experience to handle its quirky dynamics.
Suzuki’s response worsened the situation. Rather than addressing the fundamental stability issues, the company launched an aggressive campaign against Consumer Reports, filing a $60 million lawsuit claiming the tests were rigged and unfair.
Internal documents later revealed that Suzuki executives knew about the stability problems before the vehicle’s U.S. introduction but pushed forward with minimal modifications to the Japanese-market model.
The most significant impact of the Samurai controversy was its influence on SUV design and safety testing.
The case directly led to the development of the “fishhook” maneuver now used in government rollover testing and accelerated the adoption of electronic stability control systems, which can prevent many of the conditions that led to Samurai rollovers.
While never officially recalled for its rollover propensity, Samurai sales collapsed by 70% following the Consumer Reports article, effectively ending its presence in the U.S. market by 1995.
Today, the case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing marketing-friendly capabilities over basic safety considerations in vehicle design.
8. Pontiac Fiero (1984-1988)
The Pontiac Fiero’s deadly design flaw turned this innovative mid-engine sports car into a potential firetrap.
Developed as General Motors’ answer to fuel-efficient imports, the Fiero gained notoriety for its alarming tendency to catch fire due to fundamental engineering compromises.
The primary issue stemmed from the engine’s design and positioning, where oil could leak onto hot exhaust components during normal operation, creating conditions for engine compartment fires that could quickly engulf the entire vehicle.
The technical problem originated with GM’s decision to adapt the “Iron Duke” four-cylinder engine originally designed for front wheel drive applications for mid-engine use without adequate modifications.
The engine’s connecting rods were insufficient for the higher RPMs the sporty Fiero encouraged, leading to catastrophic failures that could puncture the engine block and spray oil onto the hot exhaust manifold.
Compounding this issue, Fiero’s engine cradle design provided inadequate ventilation and oil containment, while the composite body panels could fuel flames once ignited.
By August 1987, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had documented 260 engine fires, with 31 occurring while vehicles were parked and turned off a particularly dangerous scenario that could result in fires spreading to buildings.
The most severe incidents involved total vehicle destruction within minutes, giving occupants precious little time to escape.
While verified deaths were relatively few compared to other vehicles on this list, numerous injuries occurred, primarily from burns sustained while attempting to retrieve belongings from burning vehicles or during escape.
What made the Fiero case particularly troubling was evidence that GM had identified these issues during development but proceeded with production anyway.
Engineers had reportedly requested design changes and additional testing, but management pushed forward with the original design to meet cost targets and production timelines.
When fires began occurring in customer vehicles, GM initially dismissed them as maintenance-related issues rather than acknowledging the design defect.
After mounting pressure, GM finally recalled approximately 125,000 1984 model year Fieros in 1987 to install engine cradle reinforcements and an improved oil collection system.
However, this recall addressed only the earliest models, leaving hundreds of thousands of later Fieros with similar vulnerabilities.
In a bitter irony, GM had resolved many of Fiero’s engineering problems for the 1988 model year, introducing a properly designed suspension and many reliability improvements only to discontinue the model entirely that same year due to plummeting sales and liability concerns.
The Fiero case illustrates how promising automotive innovations can be undermined by corporate corner-cutting and insufficient testing.
Today, surviving Fieros have a dedicated following, with many owners implementing aftermarket modifications to address the original design flaws that made these otherwise revolutionary vehicles potential death traps.
9. Chevrolet Cobalt/Saturn Ion Ignition Switch (2003-2011)
The deadly ignition switch defect affecting General Motors’ compact cars represents one of the most insidious design flaws in automotive history not because it was spectacularly catastrophic, but because its subtle nature allowed it to kill silently for over a decade before being addressed.
The core issue involved a seemingly minor component: a spring-loaded detent plunger in the ignition switch that was too weak to maintain proper electrical contact, particularly when the key was weighted down by a heavy keychain or subjected to road impacts.
This seemingly trivial defect had deadly consequences. When the ignition switch moved from the “run” position to “accessory” while driving, it would suddenly cut engine power, disable power steering and brakes, and critically deactivate the airbag system.
Drivers would find themselves struggling to control suddenly unresponsive vehicles, often during critical situations like highway driving.
If a crash occurred, the airbags would fail to deploy precisely when needed most, turning survivable accidents into fatal ones.
What transformed this technical failure into a corporate scandal was evidence that GM knew about the problem for years but failed to act.
Engineer Ray DeGiorgio approved the defective switch in 2002 despite it failing to meet GM’s specifications.
When problems emerged, he secretly authorized a design change in 2006 but kept the same part number a violation of basic engineering protocols that made the defect nearly impossible to track.
Meanwhile, GM’s legal department settled numerous cases confidentially while failing to alert safety engineers to the pattern of failures.
The ignition switch crisis ultimately led to congressional hearings, a $900 million Justice Department fine, and a $575 million settlement fund for victims.
Perhaps most significantly, it exposed a broken corporate culture that GM CEO Mary Barra described as promoting the “GM nod” where employees would agree something should be fixed but take no actual action.
The case transformed recall procedures throughout the automotive industry and highlighted how even seemingly minor design flaws can have fatal consequences when safety systems become interdependent.
Today, all new vehicles include features like brake override systems and more robust ignition switch designs directly influenced by the lessons learned from this tragedy.
10. Chrysler Minivan Liftgate Latch (1984-1995)
The deadly design flaw in Chrysler’s first-generation minivans demonstrates how even subtle engineering oversights can have catastrophic consequences.
For over a decade, millions of Plymouth Voyager, Dodge Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country minivans were equipped with rear liftgate latches that could fail during even minor rear-end collisions, causing the liftgate to fly open and potentially eject passengers.
This defect proved particularly lethal because these family vehicles typically carried children in the rear seats, precisely the area made vulnerable by the faulty latch.
The technical problem stemmed from the latch’s horizontal orientation and single-point design.
Unlike vertically oriented latches that naturally resist opening forces during impacts, the horizontal design could disengage when subjected to crash forces or even normal road vibrations.
The latch assembly also lacked backup safety features found in other manufacturers’ designs. Most concerning, because the liftgate was part of the passenger safety cell, its failure compromised the entire structural integrity of the vehicle during crashes.
The human toll was heartbreaking. At least 37 people, including 22 children, died in crashes where the liftgate opened during impact, with hundreds more suffering severe injuries.
The most devastating cases involved children ejected through the open liftgate during otherwise survivable accidents, suffering fatal head and spine injuries upon impact with the road.
These tragedies were compounded by the fact that many parents had specifically chosen minivans for their perceived safety benefits for families.
Only after intense pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did Chrysler agree to a full recall in 1995, covering 4.3 million minivans at that time, the largest recall in automotive history.
Even then, the company’s fix was criticized as inadequate, as the replacement latch shared many of the same design vulnerabilities as the original.
The minivan latch case illustrates how even vehicles marketed specifically for family safety can harbor deadly design flaws, and how reluctance to address known safety issues can multiply the human cost.
Today, all vehicle latches must meet stringent federal standards directly influenced by the lessons learned from this tragedy, and redundant latching mechanisms have become standard across the industry.
11. 1970s-Era Ford Cruise Control Systems
Ford’s cruise control systems from the 1970s through the early 2000s harbored a deadly design flaw that created an unprecedented fire hazard one that could ignite vehicles not only while driving but also while parked and turned off.
The defect centered on the speed control deactivation switch, which used a hydraulic pressure system connected directly to the brake lines.
This switch contained flammable brake fluid separated from electrical contacts by a thin, failure-prone seal.
The technical problem occurred when this seal deteriorated over time, allowing brake fluid to leak into the electrical portion of the switch.
Since the switch remained powered even when vehicles were parked, this created conditions for electrical arcs that could ignite the brake fluid.
Once ignited, fires could spread rapidly through the engine compartment and into the passenger cabin.
Most alarmingly, these fires frequently started hours or even days after vehicles had been turned off and parked in garages, leading to numerous house fires that claimed lives while families slept.
The human impact extended beyond vehicle occupants to homeowners and their families. At least 16 deaths and numerous injuries were directly attributed to these fires, with property damage estimated in the hundreds of millions.
The most tragic cases involved families who perished in house fires that began in attached garages where affected Ford vehicles were parked.
In one devastating incident, a Texas family of four died when their Ford F-150 caught fire in their garage and spread to their home while they slept.
Ford’s response to the mounting evidence of danger proved inadequate for years. Despite receiving reports of unexplained vehicle fires as early as 1983, the company conducted a series of limited recalls that addressed only certain models and years rather than all vehicles with the fundamentally flawed switch design.
Internal documents suggested Ford engineers had identified the switch as a fire risk but hesitated to initiate broader recalls due to the massive costs involved.
12. Bridgestone/Firestone Wilderness AT Tires
The Bridgestone/Firestone Wilderness AT tire catastrophe represents one of the deadliest product failures in automotive history, with a design flaw so severe it triggered the recall of 14.4 million tires and was linked to at least a thousand deaths and injuries worldwide.
Unlike many automotive defects that became apparent immediately, the Wilderness AT’s fatal flaw manifested gradually over time and under specific conditions, making it particularly insidious and difficult to detect before failure occurred.
The technical problem centered on the tire’s tread separation vulnerability, particularly when used on SUVs like the Ford Explorer.
The tires suffered from multiple design and manufacturing defects: inadequate adhesion between rubber layers, substandard rubber compounds that degraded rapidly in heat, and manufacturing inconsistencies, particularly at Firestone’s Decatur, Illinois plant where labor disputes had compromised quality control.
When these tires experienced prolonged heat buildup from highway driving, especially in warm climates, and when underinflated, the tread could separate catastrophically from the tire body without warning.
The human consequences were severe and widely distributed. While approximately 271 deaths and 800 injuries were officially attributed to the defect in the United States, the global toll was likely much higher, with Venezuela alone recording over 100 fatalities.
The typical failure sequence was terrifying at highway speeds, the tread would suddenly peel off the tire with an explosive sound, causing drivers to lose control.
On vehicles with high centers of gravity like the Ford Explorer, these sudden failures frequently led to violent rollovers with catastrophic results.
Many victims suffered traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and crushing injuries from roof collapse.
The scandal reached its peak in 2000 when a Houston television station aired an exposé linking the tires to numerous fatal accidents.
Congressional hearings followed, revealing a pattern of corporate negligence that shocked the public.
Former Firestone employees testified about alarming quality control issues, with one stating that tires with visible defects were routinely approved for sale.
The crisis ultimately led to the passage of the TREAD Act (Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation), which established new requirements for reporting potential defects to NHTSA and significantly increased penalties for withholding safety information.
Also Read: 10 Supercars That Are Infamously Difficult to Control
