GM recalls more than 500,000 Chevrolet Camaros for ignition switch problem

GM announced recalls of nearly 600,000 vehicles on Friday, including approximately 510,000 Chevy Camaros from the 2010-2014 model years for an ignition-switch issue. GM said the Camaro issue is similar, but not linked to, the problem with the Chevy Cobalt that resulted in the recall of 2.6 million vehicles earlier this year.

The automaker found that a tall driver in a Chevy Camaro, sitting close to the steering wheel, can hit the key fob with a knee, knocking the ignition switch from the run to accessory position, shutting off important car functions, such as power steering, airbags and the power break assist. GM is aware of three crashes that resulted in four injuries that may be attributed to this problem. The company discovered the problem during internal testing following the recall of millions of older small cars earlier this year for a faulty ignition switches.

Additional recalls that GM announced on Friday included:

• 28,789 Saab 9-3 convertibles from the 2004-2011 model years with faulty driver’s seat belt cables that could break can cause the seat belt to fail.
• 21,560 Chevrolet Sonic 2012 model year cars with the base 1.8 liter engine and the six-speed automatic for a problem in which the transmission turbine shaft could break and limit the transmission to first or second gear.
• 14,765 Buick LaCrosse sedans model year 2014 because a wiring splice in the driver’s door may corrode and break.

The faulty ignition switch in Chevy Cobalts and other vehicles has been tied to at least 50 accidents and 13 deaths. GM knew about the problem in the older cars for more than a decade before recalling the vehicles. It now faces ongoing investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Justice Department and Congress into why it took so long for the company to recall the cars.

The Valukas Report, a month-long internal investigation that detailed deep flaws in GM’s decision making process regarding the delay in recalls that was released earlier this month, resulted in firing of 15 GM employees, including several high-ranking executives in the legal, engineering and public policy groups. Automotive News called the report a damning indictment of employee misconduct, incompetence and inaction leading to great harm to GM’s customers.

The latest round of recalls brings GM’s total for the year to 38 separate recalls in the U.S. involving 14.4 million vehicles. Including these recalls, the auto industry overall has recalled about 25 million vehicles this year, which translates to 1 out of 10 vehicles on the road in the U.S.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a Chevy Cobalt or another vehicle, please call Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer Marion Munley at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys at 855-866-5529.