GM Recalling Vehicles Due to Faulty Ignition Switch

Early Thursday morning General Motors (GM) announced that they would be recalling more than 778,000 Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 compact cars, model years 2005 to 2007. According to reports the vehicles ignition switch could move out of the run position and cause the engine to shut off as well as turn off other electrical components.

Airbags, in particular, could shut off which could be very dangerous during a car accident. GM is aware of five different front-impact crashes and six front-seat fatalities wherein the airbags did not deploy. According to a spokesperson from GM, the accidents were off-road and high speeds so the probability of serious or fatal injuries was high regardless of airbag deployment.

However, the company was also aware of more than 15 other car collisions involving front-impact where victims were non-fatally injured and the airbags did not deploy.

According to GM, the company will notify owners, and dealers will replace defective switches at no charge. No date on when vehicle owners will be notified has been set. Until then, GM is advising vehicle owners they should remove non-essential items from their key rings. Heavy key rings and bad roads could increase the risk of the switch moving out of the run position.

In 2010, Chevy Cobalts and Pontiac G5s were recalled due to an issue with the vehicles power steering. The power assist motor could fail in affected vehicles and lead to loss of steering assist making it difficult for drivers to maneuver their car at low speeds.

If you or a loved one has been injured an accident with an affected vehicle or while driving an affected vehicle, the victim may be entitled to compensation. Contact our auto accident lawyers today by calling 1-800-706-3000 for more information.