GM Adding Cars To A Recall to Address Ignition Switch Defect. General Motors announced on Monday that it is adding 3.16 million midsize and large cars to a recall that began in February to address a faulty ignition switch in 2.19 million small cars. The defect has been linked to 13 deaths and 54 crashes in […]
GM Adding Cars To A Recall to Address Ignition Switch Defect. General Motors announced on Monday that it is adding 3.16 million midsize and large cars to a recall that began in February to address a faulty ignition switch in 2.19 million small cars.
The defect has been linked to 13 deaths and 54 crashes in the cars already recalled, USA Today reports. In the new recall, GM acknowledged it knows of eight crashes and six injuries, but no deaths.
As in the small-car recall, these cars have been recalled because, if the key ring is too heavy or the driver accidentally jostles it or if there is a “jarring road event,” the ignition can unexpectedly move out of the “run” position, shutting off the engine and disabling the airbags, according to USA Today. GM has advised drivers of all the recalled cars to remove everything but the key from the key ring until the repair can be made.
GM said the new recall “follows a review of ignition issues following the recall in February of 2.6 million Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars” worldwide. The same GM engineer (who has since been fired) who oversaw the switches in the recalled small cars approved the switches in the larger cars. The cars recalled on Monday are the 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, 200-2005 Cadillac Deville, 2004-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2004-205 Buick Regal LS and GS, and 2006-2008 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
GM has been under investigation by Congress and federal transportation and safety authorities for its failure to act quickly enough on the ignition switch problem, although it has been known for over a decade, The New York Times reported. The company has been fined $35 million – the maximum – for failing to disclose the defect sooner.
GM has recalled 17.73 million vehicles this year in the U.S., and worldwide, the total is 20 million, USA Today reports.
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