USA - RECALL - GM to expand recall notice to nearly 1.4 million cars for ignition issues.

• Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac Solstice, and Saturn Ion and Sky included
• Company Launches Process Review

General Motors is expanding the recall of certain 2003-2007 model year vehicles to correct a condition with the ignition switch that may allow the key to unintentionally move or switch to the “accessory” or “off” position, turning off the engine and most of the electrical components on the vehicle.

In addition to 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5 and Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada only, GM is separately recalling 2003-2007 Saturn Ions, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHRs, and 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky models. The affected U.S. vehicle population, including those vehicles recalled Feb. 13, totals 1,367,146.

This expanded vehicle population raises the number of reported incidents involving frontal crashes, in which the recall condition may have caused or contributed to the non-deployment of the frontal airbags, to 31 involving 13 front-seat fatalities.

As part of the recall, GM is taking steps to address customer concerns and working with its suppliers to increase parts production and accelerate availability.

GM will notify all affected customers that in addition to recalling their vehicles and performing repairs at no charge to them, GM and its dealers will work with customers on an individual, case-by-case basis to minimize inconvenience associated with the recall.

“Ensuring our customers’ safety is our first order of business,” said GM North America President Alan Batey. “We are deeply sorry and we are working to address this issue as quickly as we can.”

Going beyond required written notification, GM, through its customer care centers and social media teams, is using customer records and communications channels to notify affected customers of the recall and additional actions the company is willing to take to relieve their concerns and minimize inconvenience.

GM is recalling these vehicles because the ignition switch torque performance may not meet GM specifications. If the torque performance is not to specification, and the key ring is carrying added weight or the vehicle goes off road or experiences some other jarring event, the ignition switch may inadvertently be moved out of the “run” position.

The timing of the key movement out of the “run” position, relative to the activation of the sensing algorithm of the crash event, may result in the airbags not deploying, increasing the potential for occupant injury in certain kinds of crashes.

Dealers will replace the ignition switch to prevent the unintentional or inadvertent key movement.  Until this correction is performed, customers should use only the ignition key with nothing else on the key ring. As always, customers should drive responsibly and use their safety belts.

On Monday, the company submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration a detailed chronology associated with its initial recall of the ignition switch torque performance condition in Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s and Pursuits. The chronology outlines events that happened during the time that elapsed between receiving the first field reports and issuing a recall.

“The chronology shows that the process employed to examine this phenomenon was not as robust as it should have been,” said Batey. “Today’s GM is committed to doing business differently and better. We will take an unflinching look at what happened and apply lessons learned here to improve going forward.”

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