General Motors Ignition Switch death claims extended by another seven sad victims.

General Motors’ ignition-switch compensation fund approved another seven death claims associated with ignition switch defects in its cars in the past week, bringing the total to 97 deaths, the office administering GM’s compensation fund said.

GM originally said it knew of only 13 deaths linked to the defect.

The office of attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who is overseeing victim compensation on the automaker’s behalf, also approved 16 more injury claims, raising the total to 179 approved injury claims as of May 1.

Of the 179 approved injury claims, 12 are for serious injuries resulting in quadriplegia, paraplegia, double amputation, permanent brain damage or pervasive burn. The other 167 claims are for less serious injuries requiring hospitalization or outpatient medical treatment within 48 hours of the accident.

The deadline for victims to file claims was Jan. 31.

After GM recalled 2.6 million vehicles with faulty ignition switches last year, the automaker hired Feinberg to administer the victims compensate program.

The defective switches can move from the “run” position, which cuts power to the power steering, brakes and airbags. 

A person seeking compensation must prove that the airbag did not deploy, and must show the defective switch was the primary cause of the crash.

Through Friday, GM had received 474 claims for deaths, 289 claims for catastrophic injuries and 3,579 claims for injuries requiring hospitalization. Feinberg’s office is still reviewing another 669 claims.

Hannah Lutz

Nora Naughton 

REPORT HERE

USA - Auto Safety Watchdog Says 303 Deaths Related to GM Ignition Recall.

An issue that resulted in a General Motors recall may be responsible for up to 303 deaths, according to an automotive safety watchdog. The Center for Auto Safety said it referenced crash and fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatal Analysis Reporting System, according to a report in Reuters. The 303 deaths allegedly occurred when airbags failed to deploy in 1.6 million compact cars recalled by GM.

Those numbers are in stark contrast to the 12 deaths GM has reported in 34 crashes. In response to the watchdog's death toll claim, GM said the Center for Auto Safety created its report on "raw data," and added "without rigorous analysis, it is pure speculation to attempt to draw any meaningful conclusions." The faulty switch problem may shut off and deactivate the airbags while the car is in motion and traveling at high speeds.

Affected vehicles include the 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR, and 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky models. The U.S. automaker issued the recall in February, despite first learning about the faulty ignition switch in 2001. Clarence Ditlow, the center's executive director, believes action should have been taken long ago. 

"NHTSA could and should have initiated a defect investigation to determine why airbags were not deploying in Cobalts and Ions in increasing numbers." U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx promised an "aggressive investigation," and would look at whether GM was slow in reporting the faulty ignition problems to the federal government. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan has opened a criminal probe, while House and Senate committees have pledged to hold hearings questioning GM and the NHTSA's handling of the situation. GM has said the investigation is "ongoing."

REPORT HERE

GM knew of ignition defect a decade ago, report says

General Motors knew a decade ago about the ignition problems that triggered last week's recall of compact cars, according to a newspaper report that cites documents in a civil lawsuit against GM.

GM said last week that it's recalling more than 778,000 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 cars in North America after several deaths were linked to faulty ignition switches that may have caused engines to stall and air bags to malfunction.

USA Today reported Wednesday that GM knew about the defects in 2004.

GM acknowledged the problem in a 2005 technical service bulletin that advised dealers to install a snap-on key cover for customers who complained, but didn't require the dealers to install the part on new Cobalts before they were sold, the newspaper said.

GM said it knows of 22 related crashes and at least six deaths involving frontal-impact accidents in which air bags didn't deploy.

USA Today reported that according to documents it obtained from a lawsuit against GM over a Georgia crash that killed pediatric nurse Brooke Melton, at least one GM engineer encountered a problem while testing the new car, which arrived on the market in 2004 as a 2005 model.

Gary Altman, program engineering manager for the Cobalt during its development, said in a deposition last June that while the modification listed in the bulletins was an "improvement, it was not a fix to the issue," the paper said.

Lance Cooper, lawyer for Melton's estate, told USA Today that Melton had taken her vehicle to the dealership for ignition switch problems, but did not receive the modification.

GM settled the lawsuit by Melton's estate, but wouldn't comment further because of litigation still pending against the dealer, spokesman Alan Adler said.

The recall covers 619,122 cars from the 2005 to 2007 model years in the U.S., along with 153,310 in Canada and 6,130 in Mexico. Dealers will replace ignition switches on affected cars, GM said.

REPORT HERE

USA - RECALL - GM announces over 660,000 cars to correct cars being unintentionally turned off.

General Motors said today it is recalling 778,562 older-model Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 compact cars in North America to correct a condition that may allow the engine and other components, including airbags, to be unintentionally turned off.

In the affected cars from model years 2005 through 2007, the weight on the key ring, road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and most of the car's electrical components, GM said in a statement.

GM was aware of five frontal-impact crashes and six front-seat fatalities in crashes where the front airbags did not deploy, a company spokesman said. All of the crashes occurred off road and at high speeds, where the probability of serious or fatal injuries was high regardless of airbag deployment, the spokesman said.

Failure to wear seat belts and alcohol use also were factors in some cases, the spokesman said.

GM was also aware of 17 other crashes involving some type of frontal impact and nonfatal injuries where airbags did not deploy, the spokesman said.

Dealers will replace the ignition switch at no charge, but GM advised that until the fix is made, customers should remove non-essential items from their key rings.

The U.S. automaker said the ignition switch torque performance may not meet company specification. The involved parts are made in Mexico, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Of the affected cars, 619,122 are in the United States, 153,310 are in Canada and 6,130 are in Mexico, the company spokesman said.

The cars in the recall are the Cobalt from model years 2005 through 2007, and the 2007 G5.

GM no longer makes either car.

REPORT HERE