On Friday, as General Motors expanded a recall of cars with defective ignition switches linked to at least a dozen deaths, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette announced she will lead an investigation into the ongoing safety and commerce issue.
GM added 824,000 vehicles from years 2008-11 to the 1.6 million cars already recalled from 2003-07.
The same faulty switches that caused the first round of recalls on Feb. 13 were used for repairs in about 5,000 cars included in the latest recall, GM said. The Chevrolet Cobalt, Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac G5, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Ion and Saturn Sky are included in the latest recall.
Before the recall increased, DeGette announced at a morning news conference that she and Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., are spearheading the first of two reported congressional investigations into GM’s knowledge of faulty ignition switches. DeGette represents Denver, where three recent car-crash fatalities are under investigation in relation to the faulty GM ignitions, and will manage the proceedings in her position as the ranking Democratic member of the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations subcommittee since 2011. Murphy chairs the subcommittee.
In 2004, GM began investigating the ignition issue, which has allegedly caused cars to abruptly lose all power including the functioning of air bags and seat belts. The company has acknowledged it knew of the defective parts for a decade.
“Our early analysis shows that they might have missed opportunities to connect the dots,” DeGette said.
DeGette said the House Energy and Commerce Committee learned of at least 31 crashes and 12 deaths related to six recalled GM vehicles in documents and field reports provided after the committee requested the information from GM CEO Mary Barra on March 11.
“The weight of the keys can cause these cars to turn off if you’re on an entrance ramp to a highway, if you’re on a highway, if you’re in a busy intersection or if your knee just bumps up against the keys or to the ignition switch,” DeGette said. “This is the danger of these cars and we need to find out through this investigation when GM knew, why they didn’t inform the public and what they intend to do.”
DeGette, who has been conducting investigations on the House subcommittee for 18 years, plans to ask Barra at a hearing on Tuesday why replacement ignition switches have been labeled with the same serial numbers as the defective ones.
Barra and senior officials from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration will be questioned at the public phase of the House investigation, which begins April 1.
Craig Fleishman, an attorney in Denver, said at the news conference that his office is investigating two cases in which the ignition problem possibly caused the deaths of two children, ages 3 and 5, in one case, and a man in his 50s in the other case. In both instances, GM vehicles apparently shut down unexpectedly, which disengaged seat belts and air bags before they were involved in car crashes.
The attorney declined to name his clients, citing an ongoing investigation.
DeGette said GM may face repercussions under the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation Act, a consumer safety law Congress passed in 2000.
The law requires manufacturers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment to report to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation any known car or parts defects, information that may identify defects and deaths or serious injuries related to defects.
Violations of the law could result in a fine and up to 15 years in prison. Earlier this month, the National Highway Traffic Administration raised the potential of a $35 million fine for failing to report problems to the government quickly enough
DeGette said GM is up against possible criminal sanctions from the Justice Department, which reportedly is conducting its own investigation, and millions of dollars in damages from private lawsuits such as Fleishman’s cases.
On Friday, GM told dealers to stop selling certain Chevrolet Cruzes and did not specify why. The small cars were not recalled.
Alison Noon: 303-954-1223, anoon@denverpost.com twitter.com/alisonnoon
Gm recalls
• Initial recall was for 1.6 million Cobalts and other small cars made in the 2007 model year and before.
• New recall adds 824,000 vehicles from the 2008-11 model years. including Chevrolet Cobalt, Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac G5, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Ion and Saturn Sky.
