In January 2014, General Motors recalled 2.6 million vehicles for an ignition switch problem. The Department of Transportation recently announced that General Motors will pay the government $35 million, the largest civil penalty ever paid, stemming from its ignition switch. This penalty is a result of their failure to act for 10 years on the defect that led to the deaths of at least 13 people seated in front seats and numerous other deaths and serious injuries.
These cars were all equipped with ignition switches that could slip into accessory mode and turn off while driving. This would cut engine power and power steering, and could lead to airbags not deploying in crashes. The ignition switch problem is found in six models manufactured over several years: Chevrolet Cobalt's and HHR's, Pontiac G5's and Soltice's, Saturn Ion's and Sky's
General Motors is facing over 79 lawsuits by customers demanding as much as $10 billion in damages. Customers want to be compensated for the lost value of their cars and claim the company sold the vehicles to the public knowing they were defective products. Claims are also being made that the defective ignition switches are responsible for serious injuries and death. Another suit accuses General Motors of fraud and concealing evidence related to the faulty ignition switch. According to GM, until the ignition recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that owners remove all items from the key ring, leaving only the vehicle key.
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