faulty ignition switches

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GM to SCOTUS: Our Real Birthday is 2009, Not 1908

Automaker wants to be shielded from lawsuits from before bankruptcy

(Newser) - General Motors has been cruising along since 1908 , but the automaker recently decided it would rather celebrate another birthday: July 10, 2009, making it just a tad over seven years old instead of 108. And the reason GM picked that specific date: That was the day it was "born...

GM Near Huge Settlement on Faulty Ignition Switches

Defect blamed in 124 deaths and 273 injuries

(Newser) - Officials expect General Motors will be fined hundreds of millions of dollars in a settlement over faulty ignition switches that resulted in 124 deaths and 273 injuries, NBC News reports. A settlement between GM and the Justice Department could come as early as tomorrow, though the Wall Street Journal —...

Workers Who Hid GM Issue Might Get Off Scot-Free

Prosecutors must prove specific criminal intent, according to law

(Newser) - Prosecutors are moving forward with a criminal case against General Motors over its faulty ignition switches , but many GM employees who helped hide the issue for a decade are probably in the clear, reports the New York Times . Those familiar with the investigation say loopholes in laws relating to and...

What the Justice Department Might Do to GM

Federal prosecutors are close to bringing a criminal case, reports the WSJ

(Newser) - Two weeks ago brought the news of an unwanted milestone for GM: 100 deaths (and counting) linked to its faulty ignition-switch system . Now, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal are reporting on the very likely possibility of criminal charges being filed against the company in connection with the...

GM's Ignition Switch Death Toll Hits Grim Milestone

Compensation fund is making payouts to 100, and counting

(Newser) - Only last year, GM insisted it could find only 13 deaths linked to its faulty ignition-switch system . Yesterday, the independent attorney overseeing GM's compensation fund on the issue reported an unwanted milestone—100 deaths and counting, reports CNNMoney . "And as the number of victims mounts, the ignition-switch crisis...

Judge: 'New GM' Not Liable for Death, Injury Claims

Bankruptcy shields it from pre-2009 ignition switch claims

(Newser) - A 2009 bankruptcy order shields General Motors from billions of dollars in death and injury claims tied to defective ignition switches in older small cars, a federal judge ruled yesterday. But Judge Robert Gerber—who handled GM's government-funded bankruptcy case six years ago—also ruled that plaintiffs who claim...

Driver of Faulty GM Car Cleared in Fiance's Death

Candice Anderson had been convicted in 2004 crash

(Newser) - Guilt has been the prominent emotion dogging Candice Anderson in the past decade since her fiance, Gene Erickson, was killed in a 2004 car crash while she was driving. Yesterday, some of that guilt was alleviated when a Texas judge removed the criminally negligent homicide conviction from her record after...

GM Will Pay 19 Death Claims for Faulty Ignitions

Up from 13, but hundreds more claims still under review

(Newser) - General Motors' compensation expert in cases involving faulty ignition switches has determined that 19 wrongful death claims are eligible for payments from the company. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg has received 125 death claims due to the faulty switches in older-model small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt. He says in a...

GM: We're Giving $400M to Ignition-Switch Victims

General Motors reveals compensation plan in 2nd-quarter earnings report

(Newser) - Just one day after General Motors recalled another 717,950 vehicles , the New York Times reports that the automaker estimates it will pay out $400 million to victims of its faulty ignition switches. The compensation plan was included in GM’s report of its second-quarter earnings, which dropped 84% from...

GM Recalls Another 718K Vehicles

Six separate recalls aren't related to ignition-switch problem

(Newser) - Another day, another 717,950 GM vehicles recalled. This time, none of the six separate recalls have any connection to the company's deadly ignition-switch problem , reports the Detroit News . By contrast, the problems are relatively minor. About 414,000 involve power seat-height adjusters in cars and small SUVs—the...

Now Chrysler Has Its Own Ignition Switch Problem

Older Jeeps recalled worldwide

(Newser) - The ignition switch defects that engulfed General Motors are now a rapidly growing problem at Chrysler. Chrysler says it is recalling up to 792,300 older Jeep SUVs worldwide because the ignition switches could fall out of the "run" position, shutting off the engine and disabling air bags, as...

GM Was Mum on Cause of Fatal Crashes: Documents
GM Was Mum on Cause of Fatal Crashes: Documents
INVESTIGATION
Jul 16, 2014 10:57 AM CDT

GM Was Mum on Cause of Fatal Crashes: Documents

'NYT:' Automaker may have dodged questions about deadly defect

(Newser) - On the eve of a Senate appearance in which General Motors will be further scrutinized by lawmakers, the New York Times reveals that documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show GM may have been less than forthcoming when asked about the deadly ignition defect. So-called "death inquiries"...

12 Stories