As we have mentioned in previous posts, the safety of a product is not always directly tied to its cost. This is again made clear in the recent recall of Rolls-Royce Ghost Sedans by Rolls-Royce Motors Inc., a division of BMW. The recall is based on the possibility that a fire could occur due to the overheating of a circuit board. The base price for this vehicle is $245,000.

The defective circuit board in question is tied to the control of a water pump that cools the turbocharged engine once the car is no longer running. The overheating could cause a smoldering of the water pump as well as a fire in the vehicle or compartment housing the engine.

The vehicles being recalled are all 2010 models. In total, 1,900 such vehicles are being recalled throughout the world. Of that amount, 589 are located in the U.S. While so far there have not been any reports of water pumps failing in any Rolls-Royces, 102 instances have been reported in BMW models that contain similar mechanics.

The dealers of the vehicle will replace the water pumps at no cost to the owners.

In general, products available for purchase by a consumer are expected to meet the ordinary expectations of a user. When someone is injured by a product that is defective, he or she may be able to secure a financial recovery. These types of cases are usually complicated so if an individual is contemplating filing one, it is a good idea to contact an experienced attorney for assistance.

Source: CNN.com, "Rolls-Royce Ghost sedans recalled for fire risk," Peter Valdes-Dapena, Nov. 2, 2011