Ford Pinto Case

Case Analysis Project: Research the Ford Pinto case in Friedrichs (p. 72 & 312) and online. Provide a brief synopsis of the case and answer the following questions: 1) What has happened to the key players since the events in this case? 2) Were the consequences they experienced as a result of their role appropriate under the circumstances and why? 3) What preventive and detective controls can be put in place? 4) How does the Ford Pinto case compare to recent Toyota recalls?

Synopsis:

With intense competition from Volkswagen and other foreign domestic car companies, Ford needed to act fast and respond quickly to the influx of subcompact cars (Business and Professional Ethics). From plenty of different websites and our books we can see that Ford was trying to create a compact car to compete with the surging market at a low price of about $2,000, and they were looking to have it out by 1970. In addition to that, their goal was also to produce, what would soon be known as the Ford Pinto, a car weighted at no more than two thousand pounds. A big dilemma was that they were aiming to have the Pinto out by 1970, but it takes about three and one half years for preproduction work like design, testing, and arrangement. Unfortunately, it was 1968 when they began, but they still rolled out the premature Pinto design in 1970 after only two years. This speed up did not come without setbacks or problems. Due to the rushed process, Ford signed off on inspections and overlooked reports to make sure this car was released on time. They then established that the Pinto could combust into flames if rear-ended at 21mph because of certain parts being situated poorly. They could resituate the gas tank in the back or install a rubber bladder, but the rubber bladder, they found, was not cost effective, even though it would save lives and a car from exploding upon collision. The end result for one of the most historic law suits involving the Ford Pinto was Grimshaw V. Ford Motor Co. According Law Link, Grimshaw won the lawsuit and was awarded $2,516,000 in compensatory damages and $125 million in punitive damages; the Gray’s were awarded $559,680 in compensatory damages (Law Link). However, because of Ford motioned for a new trial, Grimshaw was required to remit all but three and a half million of the punitive damages. Ford was found responsible for the injury and required to pay.

What has happened to the key players?

After researching this case in and out, I have been, honestly, unable to find out what has happened to specific individuals since this Grimshaw case or the whole Pinto situation. I do know that Christopher Leggett wrote in his article that Ford was also involved in another case which was a criminal case (FORD PINTO CASE:). In addition, upon researching the case in and out, it is obvious that Ford Motor Company had to endure several law suits thanks