We are no longer accepting new cases.
General Motors on Monday dramatically expanded its recall of cars plagued by life-endangering ignition system problems.
That announcement in turn touched off yet another outcry from consumers directed at the carmaker.
Meanwhile, Weitz & Luxenberg announced it is continuing to investigate cases in which recall-affected GM car owners have suffered personal injury or property loss due to an ignition-system malfunction.
The earlier recall involved some 3 million GM cars. This newest one more than doubles that number — covering nearly 3.4 million additional vehicles.
According to the Detroit News, GM this year alone has recalled 20 million vehicles, which the newspaper indicates is “by far an all-time record.”
The Detroit News also notes that some of those 20 million have been recalled more than once this year.
“This newest GM recall gives further indication that GM cars are defectively designed vehicles,” said Robin L. Greenwald, who heads our Environmental Toxic Torts and Consumer Protection Litigation group.
“Consumers who put their trust in the GM name should not be the ones punished for that company’s wrongdoing,” she added.
GM cars involved in Monday’s recall are:
- Buick LaCrosse — 2005-09
- Buick Lucerne — 2006-11
- Buick Regal LS and GS — 2004-05
- Chevrolet Camaro — 2010-14
- Chevrolet Impala — 2006-14
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo — 2006-08
- Cadillac Deville — 2000-05
- Cadillac DTS — 2004-11
Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has summoned GM CEO Mary Barra to testify before it — again — about the very serious problems GM cars are creating for consumers.
Committee Chairman Fred Upton said Monday that the latest recall “raises even more questions about just how pervasive safety problems are at GM.”
It was only a few short months ago that GM agreed to pay the government $35 million to settle claims that GM should have revealed its ignition-switch woes much earlier than it did.
“Had GM done so, lives might have been saved,” said Ms. Greenwald.
The Detroit News previewed GM CEO Barra’s upcoming appearance before the House committee. The newspaper predicted she will face tough questioning about an internal GM report blaming the company’s problems on “a pattern of ‘incompetence and neglect.'”
Of course, the intensity of the questioning Barra can expect from Congress will pale in comparison to that to which she will be subjected once Weitz & Luxenberg gets her on the stand in a court of law.
To date, more than 1,000 GM car owners have come to Weitz & Luxenberg for help bringing GM to justice.
“GM’s habit of defectively designing cars ensures that many more harmed GM car-owners will be looking to us for help in the weeks and months ahead,” said Ms. Greenwald.
“We will be here to explore with them their legal rights against the carmaker.”