GM Defective Ignition Key - 13 Wrongful Deaths To-Date

On February 13, 2014, General Motors (GM) recalled 780,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and various Pontiac models for repair of a faulty ignition switch that has been found to cause the ignition key to slip out of the run position.  GM is aware of situations where the key has slipped due to heavy key chains and due to the vehicles hitting hard bumps in the road.  When this occurs, the engine can shut off leading to loss of power to vital systems such as power steering, airbags and anti-lock brakes.

On February 25, 2014, GM expanded the recall to cover certain Chevy, Pontiac, and Saturn cars, bringing the total recall to as high as 1.4 million vehicles.

GM has acknowledged the defect caused or contributed to 31 crashes involving airbags which did not deploy and the deaths of 13 motorists. Evidence from civil lawsuits shows that GM knew about the Cobalt ignition defect as far back as 2004, but GM issued no recall.  This and other evidence has led to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York opening a criminal investigation into GM’s knowledge of the ignition defect.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of this defect in a Chevy Cobalt, Pontiac G5, Saturn Ion, Chevy HHR, Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky, please call the Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs  for a free consultation.  GM may have culpability based on the defect and the failure to warn consumers of the known danger.