Illinois and Missouri residents who have owned or leased one of the vehicles related to the recall of General Motor cars with ignition problems may be able to hold the automaker accountable for their defective vehicles. The Firm is currently investigating the legal rights of consumers who have been impacted by the GM recall.
In February and March, GM issued three recalls, the most recent on March 28, for a combined 2.6 million vehicles with possible ignition switch defects. Specifically, the faulty ignition switches slipped from the “run” to “accessory” position while the vehicle was in motion. This would cause the engine to stall, lose power and disable the brakes, power steering and airbags. A study commissioned by The Center for Auto Safety reviewed data compiled from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration accident reports and linked more than 300 deaths to failed airbags in two of the recalled models.
In 2006, a 2005 Chevy Cobalt’s ignition switch slipped into accessory position and killed two teenage girls. Investigators discovered the car had shut off within five seconds before the crash, which caused the steering wheel to lock up, shut off the electrical power and disabled the airbags. The 2005 Chevy Cobalt hit a raised driveway and flow 40 feet in the air before hitting a telephone pole and two trees.
GM acknowledges it has linked the ignition switch defect to 13 deaths and 34 crashes in the Chevy Cobalt and the Saturn Ions. Additionally, GM customers are claiming their vehicles lost significant value because of the ignition problems.
Media reports assert that General Motors knew about the faulty ignitions since 2001. The automaker proposed and developed a solution by 2004, however GM decided against implementing the fix by 2005. The company continued to put the vehicles on the market with faulty ignition switches. Those vehicles included:
- Chevrolet Cobalt, 2005-2010
- Pontiac G5, 2007 – 2010
- Saturn Ions, 2003-2007
- Chevrolet HHRs, 2006-2011
- Pontiac Solstice, 2006-2010
- Saturn Sky, 2007 – 2010
Even though there have been numerous investigations, the question still remains among consumers – why did GM take so long to address such a serious problem?
Class action lawsuits have been filed to help individuals who own a recalled vehicle. The Simmons Hanly Conroy is currently investigating the legal rights of owners of the vehicles listed above. If you or someone you know owned a vehicle recalled by GM, learn more about filing a GM recall lawsuit or Contact Us today.
