General Motors Vehicle Recalls
Thus far, in 2014, General Motors announced several recalls involving its vehicles:
- In February, the company announced a recall of 2.6 million cars due to defective ignition switches. The problem could cause a loss of power to the steering as well as airbag systems. Thirteen fatalities are linked to this defect, and General Motors faces a series of injury and wrongful death lawsuits related to its delay in initiating the recall after learning about the defect.
- GM later recalled about 8,500 Buick LaCrosse and Chevy Malibu vehicles for a brake problem. Rear brake rotors were installed in the front brake system, which might lead to overheating and brake failure.
- Another recall involves 2.4 million 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibus, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2010 Saturn Auras. These vehicles have a defect that could cause corrosion of the wiring and ultimately brake light problems. The wiring problems could also result in loss of cruise control, and disabled panic braking-assistance feature. At least 13 accidents and two injuries are linked to this defect.
- The company has recalled more than 100,000 2005-2007 Chevrolet Corvette cars for a potential failure of the low-beam headlights.
- Another GM recall includes 140,067 Chevrolet Malibus of the 2014 model year. A software flaw could lead to disabling of the hydraulic brake in these vehicles. The motorist would find it very difficult to control or stop the car. General Motors is aware of accidents linked to this defect.
- Yet another recall includes 19,225 model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS luxury cars, for a windshield wiper defect.
Some of these defects are extremely serious and even fatal. Faulty brakes, for instance, can cause a motorist to face trouble controlling the car, or bringing the car to a complete stop, seriously increasing the risk of an accident. There are no confirmed reports of accidents or injuries related to some of these recalls, but the potential for an accident exists in each of these defective vehicles.
To determine if your car is included in any of these recalls, refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s SaferCar.gov website. If you are the owner of a General Motors vehicle that has been included in any of the recalls, the company may have already notified you of the recall advising you to visit your dealer, or take other action. Some vehicle owners are yet to be notified. You can also contact the company for more information about a particular recall.
If you have suffered an injury in a Cleveland car accident that you believe is caused by a defective component on a GM vehicle or vehicle made by another automaker, speak to a car accident lawyer at Ryan Attorneys LLP about your next course of action. Initial consultations are always free. Call 877-864-9495 or contact us online.
About the author of this article: Thomas Ryan