Rare Rolls-Royce Recalls 1,300 Ghost Luxury Vehicles

Rolls-Royce is recalling more than 1,300 Ghost sedans, a rare move for the British ultra luxury carmaker.

A defect in the glass instrument clusters in the vehicles could cause them to shatter in the event of a crash, according to the automaker. Rolls-Royce told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it will call back the vehicles to fix the problem.

“The instrument cluster single-layer tempered glass, in certain high-speed side crash conditions may break,” the company said in a defect notice filed with NHTSA. “If the glass broke into small pieces, there is a very low risk that it could increase the risk of injury.”

The recall covers certain 2021-2023 Ghost vehicles, which were built between February 2020 and December 2022. The company is not aware of any accidents or injuries caused by the defect, it told NHTSA.

“Rolls-Royce first learned of this issue on May 26, 2020, following a high-speed crash test that was conducted internally,” Sebastien Bell reports for Car Scoops. “The cluster, made from a single layer of tempered glass, broke in the side impact test, and an engineering review was launched.”

The company began notifying owners of recalled vehicles via mail in October. 

Rolls-Royce said it will ask owners “to schedule an appointment with an authorized Rolls-Royce Motor Cars dealer to have the remedy performed for free.” The company will apply a protective coating to instrument clusters to prevent shattering.

Legal Rights for California Car Owners

Recalls may be rare at Rolls-Royce, but the new announcement highlights some of the risks that face all drivers: defects.

The world’s major auto manufacturers call back millions of vehicles across the country every year, citing a wide range of defects that put everyone on the road at risk. The recalls often come long after the cars have been sold to unsuspecting buyers.

In 2019, for example, Rolls-Royce recalled more than 400 Cullinan sport utility vehicles whose tail lights were too dim, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records. The defect reduced visibility, the company acknowledged at the time and increased the risk of an accident.

The good news for car owners and lessors in California is that you do not need to wait around for a recall to get a defective vehicle fixed. That is true regardless of the price tag on your car.

The California lemon law requires all car manufacturers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also forces manufacturers to buy back (or replace, in some situations) cars that they cannot or will not fix.

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback requirement kicks in. That is one of several reasons why it is important to consult a seasoned lemon law attorney who has experience assisting people in these types of cases.

Speak with a Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorney

If you are locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over a malfunctioning or defective vehicle, a Los Angeles lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

We have successfully assisted car owners across the state. Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a Los Angeles lemon law attorney at our firm today.