JACKSON, Miss.- GM has recalled another 3.36 million vehicles worldwide Monday bringing the total number of cars recalled this year alone to more than 20 million.
The new recall affects cars from years 2000-2014 involving a problem with the ignition switch. The latest recall includes these cars and model years:
Buick Lacrosse, 2005-2009
Chevrolet Impala, 2006-2014
Cadillac Deville, 2000-2005
Cadillac DTS, 2004-2011
Buick Lucerne, 2006-2011
Buick Regal LS & GS, 2004-2005
Chevy Monte Carlo, 2006-2008
The company has linked the faulty ignition to eight crashes and six injuries. The ignition switch can move out of the run position, turning off power steering and power braking while the car is being driven. Extra weight on the key chain can jostle the ignition when the vehicle strikes something in the road like a pothole or runs over a railroad track.
Ben Griffin with Fowler Buick GMC in Jackson said, “It is critical to bring your cars in, it could be very dangerous if you don’t have them fixed. The main ones that are having problems are the people that have lots of things on their key rings. The extra weight makes the switch get off center and causes problems for the driver.”
There’s no way to tell just how many of those vehicles are in Mississippi, but if you drive one of them you will want to take it to your local dealership as soon as possible.
Griffin said, “Either bring the car in or call the dealership so they can call to order the parts for the vehicle and once the parts come in we will call the vehicle owner to bring back their car to get it fixed.”
GM is already recalling 2.6 million older small cars, mostly in the U.S., for a similar problem where the ignition switch slips out of “run” and causes an engine stall. In that case, the problem is with the mechanics of the switch. In this latest recall, GM says the problem is with the design of the key.
It took the company more than a decade to recall those cars, and the automaker is currently under investigation and facing several lawsuits over the delay.
Owners of cars included in the Cobalt recall must get the ignition switch replaced, but those affected by Monday’s recall don’t have to. Instead, GM dealerships will add an insert to the key that closes the slot and leaves only a small hole where a key ring can be attached.
Dealerships are expected to start fixing owners’ keys in the next few weeks. Until then, owners are urged to remove any additional weight from their key chains.
The automaker also issued five smaller recalls Monday, affecting about 194,000 vehicles worldwide. More than half of those are Cadillac ATS and CTS cars with a problem that could prevent the driver from shifting gears. The company said it is unaware of any related crashes or injuries.
GM said it expects to take a charge of about $700 million for recalls this quarter, on top of the $1.3 billion in recall-related charges that it’s already announced this year.
