General Motors is currently attempting to counter bad publicity stemming from a recent recall of 1.6 million compact cars with a potentially deadly ignition switch.
The weight of a key ring on certain GM models causes the car to shift from “run” to “accessory” or “off.” That shuts down the engine and also disables air bags, power brakes and power-assisted steering in the vehicle.
Clearly, this may cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. GM has acknowledged that it knew about the problem for at least a decade, but did not start recalling cars until mid – February 2014. GM has recalled 1.6 million vehicles globally, including 2005-07 Cobalts and 2003-07 Saturn Ions, Pontiac G5s, Pontiac Solstices and Chevrolet HHRs.
Despite the recall, GM has assured consumers that the compact cars are safe, as long as they remove everything from their key rings. A Texas law firm is disputing GM’s contention that the cars are safe to drive if weight is removed from the key rings. The firm filed a federal court lawsuit asking a judge to order GM to tell customers to park the cars until they are repaired. In the meantime, GM has told dealers to offer loaner cars to drivers until the repairs can be made. It has received 9,000 requests for cars and has granted several thousand requests.
Consumers affected by the recall should immediately see their dealer for repairs. Consumers who were injured, or lost a loved one, due to the defective ignition switch in these cars should speak with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. Call 800-721-3553 for a free consultation from one of the experienced lawyers at Maynard, O’Connor, Smith & Catalinotto.
