Opinion ID: 2529268
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Failure to Shield to Prevent Punctures by Trunk Contents

Text: ¶ 39 It was Arndt's further opinion that if Ford chose not to relocate the tank, it should have provided shielding either inside the trunk or between the trunk and the tank that would have protected the trunk from contents puncturing the back of the fuel tank. Additionally, Ford should have provided a device in the trunk that would force trunk contents to be aligned laterally in the trunk. Plaintiffs introduced testimony that Ford had used shielding on its fuel tanks in some vehicles since the 1970s and that shielding generally was technically and economically feasible to use. However, when asked about shielding that would have specifically protected the tank from puncture from trunk contents, Arndt stated that he did not have a design that was proven out by crash testing or some sort of design process.