Defective Product Update: GM Recalls Another 29,000 Vehicles; Possibly More GM Recalls Coming

They just keep on coming for General Motors. According to the Detroit Free Press, GM announced it is “recalling 29,019 Chevrolet Cruzes from the 2013 and 2014 model years because of air bags built with an incorrect part.” GM had ordered its dealers to stop selling the cars earlier this week. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that “some of the Cruzes have a driver air bag inflator built with an incorrect part that could cause the inflator to rupture during a deployment. In a crash, this may cause air bag components to separate and be propelled inside the car, possibly striking occupants. It’s also possible the air bag may not inflate in the case of a crash.”  This defect is apparently unrelated to the now-infamous ignition switch defect that had been tied to 13 deaths, more than 50 crashes, four investigations and the firing of 15 employees by CEO Mary Barra.

Meanwhile, the NBC Nightly News (6/26, story 5) reported that GM CEO Mary Barra said on Thursday that it is “possible there could be even more recalls beyond the 20 million vehicles already affected by this series of problems the company has identified.” The picture will not get any rosier and the New York Times reported that Senate investigators are expanding the scope of their investigation into GM’s defective ignitions, examining Delphi, “the supplier that made the flawed part.”  The supplier is expected to be the subject of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing soon.

If you were in a major collision with significant injuries and the collision involved a GM car, it might be worth your while to consult with an attorney to see if the collision was related to any of the known defects. Here in Washington State, SGB and its product liability and GM defect attorneys are available to investigate the cause of  your motor vehicle accident.