GM has announced it is expanding the recall of Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 to 2003-2007 model year vehicles including 2003-2007 Saturn Ions, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHRs, 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and 2006-2007 Saturn Sky models.
The carmaker said the cars will be recalled “to correct a condition with the ignition switch that may allow the key to unintentionally move or switch to the ‘accessory’ or ‘off’ position, turning off the engine and most of the electrical components on the vehicle.”
According to GM, the total number of affected vehicles in the U.S., including Cobalt and G5, is 1,367,146. The number of related reported incidents involving frontal crashes is 31 involving 13 front-seat fatalities.
GM said it will notify all affected customers and will replace the ignition switch at no cost to them on an individual, case-by-case basis to minimize inconvenience associated with the recall.
“Ensuring our customers’ safety is our first order of business,” said GM North America President Alan Batey. “We are deeply sorry and we are working to address this issue as quickly as we can,” he added.
The reason for the recall is that the ignition switch torque performance may not meet GM specifications. “If the torque performance is not to specification, and the key ring is carrying added weight or the vehicle goes off road or experiences some other jarring event, the ignition switch may inadvertently be moved out of the ‘run’ position,” GM said in the release. This may result in the airbags not deploying.
Until the problem is solved, GM advises customers to use the ignition key with nothing else on the key ring.
By Dan Mihalascu
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