GM may recover quickly from ignition switch recall

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http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-0315-gm-recall-sales-20140315,0,815103.story



GM is contending with a pair of massive recalls totaling 1.6 million cars. The automaker has acknowledged to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that at least 12 deaths and 31 traffic accidents have been linked to its vehicles' faulty ignition switches. Above, workers at a GM plant in Ohio put final touches on Chevy Cobalts in 2010.

GM may recover quickly from ignition switch recall
By Jerry Hirsch and David Undercoffler
March 15, 2014, 5:00 a.m.

General Motors Co. is mired in one of the biggest auto safety scandals in years. But if history is any guide, car shoppers will be more forgiving than regulators and safety advocates.

Ford Motor Co. suffered through problems with Pintos burning up and Explorer sport utilities rolling over when their tires failed decades ago. More recently, Toyota Motor Corp. recalled millions of cars after incidents of sudden acceleration.

In each case, the automakers spent billions of dollars to recall vehicles, fix problems and settle legal issues. But their sales bounced back.

GM is now contending with a pair of massive recalls totaling 1.6 million cars. The automaker has acknowledged to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that at least 12 deaths and 31 traffic accidents have been linked to its vehicles' faulty ignition switches. An independent consumer watchdog group says the number of front-seat deaths caused by the defect could be as high as 303.