General Motors has recalled an estimated 7 million motor vehicles this year for safety issues in a number of cars and SUVs, model years 2003 to 2015. Problems include faulty ignition switches, power steering and side airbags in certain Chevy, Pontiac and Saturn vehicles. Maryland drivers, is one of these recalled cars in your driveway? See link to GM owners’ portal below to search for your vehicle and see if it’s been recalled. Failure to have a recalled vehicle repaired by the dealer could lead to a serious or even fatal motor vehicle accident.
One of the most serious safety issues to land GM in the headlines of late involves a faulty ignition switch, which could shut off the car unexpectedly, disabling the power steering and power brakes. Vehicles involved in the ignition switch recall include the Chevy Cobalt, Pontiac G5, Saturn Ion and others.
The faulty GM ignition switch has been blamed for a number of motor vehicle accidents and 13 deaths. Now that the problem has come to light, GM officials are under intense scrutiny, with government leaders and the public demanding to know who knew what and when. For a full list of GM vehicle makes and model years involved in the ignition switch recall, see the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) / SaferCar.gov webpage link, below.
Other GM recalls involve faulty transmission cooling lines in certain Chevy and GMC SUVs; problems with brake assembly plugs in certain Cadillac XTS sedans; a defective axle shaft in the Chevy Cruze turbo, which could lead to the car losing power; and problems with the instrument panel in the Chevy Express and GMC Savannah.
General Motors will send safety recall notifications to owners of the affected vehicles. As Baltimore County auto accident lawyers, we see the results of serious motor vehicle crashes. Which is why it’s hard for us to believe — and may come as a surprise to responsible drivers — that many vehicle owners in fact ignore safety recall notices.
Industry watchers out of Detroit estimate that a full third of recalled cars and trucks don’t get repaired, and as many as one in seven vehicles on the road has an unrepaired recall issue. This puts not only those drivers and passengers at risk, but the life and welfare of other motorists and pedestrians — if the driver looses control and the vehicle crashes. If you own a GM vehicle, check to see if it’s on the recall list. If it is, call your dealer for an appointment. Manufacturers are required to make recall repairs free of charge to the owners, and many dealers provide loaner vehicles. Do it for yourself, your family and the Maryland driving public.
Sources:
GM Owners’ Web Portal — Recalls
Consumer Alert: GM Ignition Switch Recall Information
NHTSA / SaferCar.gov Collected April 15, 2014
2014 GM Recall Roundup
Yahoo! Voices April 4, 2014
GM expands ignition switch recall to 2.6 million cars
Reuters March 28, 2014
Despite risks, many recalled vehicles will remain unrepaired as drivers ignore notices
Automotive News April 15, 2014