Over the course of 2014, General Motors (GM) has received mass attention due to the discovery of certain product defects within a variety of GM cars, as well as the subsequent recall that affected millions. The first recall was due to a faulty ignition switch, which was associated with 13 deaths and 31 crashes overall.
On May 20, General Motors recalled an additional 2.42 vehicles, not all due to the same defect. This most recent recall coupled with one that occurred the week before affect an additional five million vehicles, and may have a significant impact on GM owners across the country.
Specifics of the New General Motors Recall
Although the original recall was due to a faulty ignition switch, which could subsequently cause the engine to turn off, thereby preventing airbags from deploying in the case of an accident, the new recall was actually a set of four smaller ones.
The first recall was for 1.34 million GM cars due to the specific models having safety lap belts that were prone to fatiguing and separating over time.
The second recall was initiated for 1.08 million GM vehicles noted for having shift cable problems. So far, GM has noted that 18 accidents and one injury have occurred among those affected by the recall.
The third and fourth recalls affected 1,402 and 58 GM cars respectively, and were due to interior airbag safety problems, as well as the possibility of certain cars being a fire hazard.
About a week earlier, GM had announced five other recalls that affected nearly three million vehicles.
General Motors Recall List: Brief Summary of 2014 Recalls
As of May 20, GM had initiated a total of 29 recalls in 2014 alone. Starting with the recall for cars that possessed the faulty ignition switch in the earlier months of the year, GM announced in March that it was recalling an additional 1.3 million models due to problems with power steering. Finally, in May, GM recalled the additional five million cars for a variety of reasons.
Product Liability Law and GM Cars
In Washington, the Section 7.72.030 of the Revised Code of Washington strictly governs product liability law, including the duties a manufacturer has to create a product safe for use. Ultimately, a product can be considered defective if, among other reasons, “the likelihood that the product would cause the claimant’s harm…outweighed the burden on the manufacturer to design a product that would have prevented those harms.” In this case, GM has acknowledged the manufacturer was aware of certain defects before they were provided to the public, yet were still manufactured and sold as such.
Contact a Washington Attorney
If you were injured in a crash while driving one of the recalled GM cars – or another defective auto – you need an attorney on your side who will advocate on your behalf. Max Meyers can help you understand your rights and file a claim for compensation. Call today at 425-399-7000 or contact us online to set up a consultation.