General Motors has had a problem for years that it intentionally ignored: faulty ignition switches. News reports state that GM knew of the issue as early as 2001 but failed to take any action until 2014. So far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has the death toll at 13, but some put the casualties as high as 74 or more. GM has engaged in a classic “cost benefit analysis” in which they calculated the cost of repairing the switches against the potential future cost of paying out injury or death claims. This type of thinking presumes that human life has a cash value that can be measured and replaced by money. GM has even hired Ken Feinberg of BP Oil Spill payment fame to set up a compensation process to pay money to those who have lost loved ones or have been injured as a result of the switches turning off and shutting down the car during operation. General Motors has fired at least 15 people in an attempt to show that they have taken responsibility, but, unfortunately for the victims, these attempts are calculated business decisions made when companies put profits ahead of human life. Congress is currently holding hearings into the switch problem and the Department of Justice is also investigating.
GM has finally issued recalls on many of its vehicles for the fatal ignition switch. If you own a GM car manufactured between 2003 and 2010, please check this site to see if your vehicle has been recalled. Right now, GM has recalls on the following vehicles:
2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
2007-2010 Pontiac
2003-2007 Saturn Ion
2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR
2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice
2007-2010 Saturn Sky
If you own any of these vehicles, please contact General Motors immediately at their website or at the GM Customer Engagement Center at 1-800-222-1012, and DO NOT drive your car until it is repaired.