GM, safety agency face Congress over recalls

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140331/DACSV7QG1.html

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

DETROIT (AP) - The head of the nation's auto safety watchdog is blaming General Motors for a failure to act sooner to warn consumers of a defect in small cars that is linked to 13 deaths.

For its part, GM continues its efforts to show regulators and consumers that it's more focused on safety, announcing the recall of another 1.5 million vehicles on Monday.


File-This photo taken Jan. 23, 2014, shows General Motors CEO Mary Barra addressing the media during a roundtable meeting with journalists in Detroit. Barra will be asked by two Congressional subcommittees why it took GM a decade to recall cars with faulty ignition switches that the company says are now linked to 13 deaths. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)


In written testimony released ahead of a Tuesday House subcommittee hearing, acting National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chief David Friedman says GM had information connecting defective ignition switches to the non-deployment of air bags, but didn't share it until last month.

GM CEO Mary Barra will also testify. Committee members will press Barra and Friedman to explain why neither the company nor the safety agency moved to recall millions of small cars with a defective ignition switch, even though GM knew of the problem as early as 2001.

FULL story at link.

[hollysmom]

1. They are saying they knew for 8 years, I claim they knew longer,.

I bought a 3 year maintenance package for my car - so I should never have paid anything ever. and on Sept 11 2001 I was going to the dealer when I turned on the TV to see traffic and then sat there transfixed for several hours until I drove to the top of the hill to watch the towers until they fell - but enough of that. But it transfixed the date in my mind.
Then I drove to the dealer and was told that my key lock had to be replaced for 1500 and that it was not covered by maintenance and that I must never use a key chain which sucked because I liked keeping all my keys on the same key chain. I was told my car could cut off if I used a heavy key chain - not this was 13 years ago, far longer than 8 years ago. I am trying to get them to pay for that.