General Motors (GM), the Detroit-based car manufacturer, had to recall millions of vehicles that were resulting in mysterious accidents starting in February. GM revealed the culprit to be heavy keyrings and a faulty ignition switch. It was found that if the keyrings weighed a certain amount, they would accidently turn the ignition switch into the ‘off’ position. This would turn off the engine, airbags and power-steering, making the conditions in which a person would crash all the more dangerous. The faulty ignition switches have resulted in a total of 13 deaths and dozens of injuries.
Both the public and the US government have scrutinized the company for knowing about the problem for a decade. GM first discovered the problem in 2001, while working on the Saturn Ion. After fixing the initial issue, they discovered the problem again in the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt but decided that the replacement of the ignition switch would be too expensive and would take too long to fix.
“Even though it might cost more money to make the car safer, that is the whole point. They advertise having the safest cars, and they should uphold their commitment and not keep people in the dark,” said Gabe Price, senior and potential car buyer.
The first reported case of an actual death as a result of the faulty ignition switch occurred July 29, 2005, when 16-year-old Amber Marie Rose crashed her Cobalt into a tree. The ignition switch was not officially connected to the case until two years later but did not result in an official investigation.
Models that have since been recalled due to the defective ignition switch include the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, the Saturn Ion and Sky and the Pontiac G5 and Solstice. These recalls were originally dealing with those cars that were built from 2003-2007, but as of March 28, GM expanded their recall to include models built from 2008-2011.
“GM should notify those who have those models and tell them to just have one key on the chain. I also think the families that got hurt should be reimbursed and paid an amount of money to cover the damages. GM has a lot of money and should at least pay those with the models to replace their ignition switch,” said Price.
New CEO of GM and first woman to run a major automaker Mary Barra testified at Senate and House hearings April 1-2 as a result of the issue reaching the public. She apologized to the families and victims of the accidents for the company’s mistake. Barra, who has worked at GM as a teenager but was just made CEO in January, claimed she only found out about the issue with the ignition switch at the end of January.
GM, who was bailed out in December of 2008, has recalled a total of 2.6 million vehicles. In response to the scandal, GM is providing parts for those who own one of the recalled car models. They are expected to start replacing the parts mid-April.
Consequences for their actions have yet to be determined, but GM has been fined for failing to present the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with specific investigation information on time..
