GM employee warned of stalling in Impalas in '05
Source: AP-Excite
By PAUL WISEMAN
WASHINGTON (AP) General Motors employee Laura Andres was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Impala home when she hit a bump in the road. The engine stalled, and the Impala came to a dead stop. The car behind her had to swerve to avoid a collision. Andres took the car into the shop, and a technician identified the most likely culprit as a faulty ignition switch.
In an e-mail to 11 GM colleagues, she wrote: "I think this is a serious safety problem ... I'm thinking big recall."
Andres wrote the e-mail Aug. 30, 2005. The Impala was finally recalled Monday eight and a half years after she sounded the alarm. GM said a key with too much weight on it can cause the switch to move from "run" to "accessory" and stall the engine.
Still, Andres warning came back to haunt GM Wednesday in a congressional hearing into faulty ignition switches that have been linked to 13 deaths and have forced GM to recall 2.6 million small cars, such as the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140618/us-gm-recall-employee-warning-d0f8481e76.html
iamthebandfanman
(8,127 posts)Saturn ion 3 ...
and when I purchased it in early 07 and went to Saturn forums on the internet.... the ignition/key problem was already known by folks on there.. and they had stated theyd contacted Saturn several times about it.. multiple people.
they did nothing.
heck, when I took mine in to be 'repaired' after mine got stuck in the ON position (couldn't turn the car off)...
they told me flat out 'we have to replace this with another defective part because they haven't made a new one yet'.. again.. that was 08... and at a damn GM dealership.
I ended up having to fix the problem two separate times for a total of around 700-800 bucks.. and was paying for another waiting to break part! lol
now all of a sudden I have every symptom of every recall they've issued.. had the power steering cut off (which they don't even have a fix for yet but acknowledge) the other day while going around 40 down a curvy hill.. that was awesome..
not to mention something in the car is now draining my battery at the rate of a full charge in 48 hours without even using the car at all...
yay!
so glad I worked hard to give GM 17 grand
Omaha Steve
(99,649 posts)I was going to go to physical therapy. Had to run to the dealer instead. They knew it was a Cobalt before I said it.
We get any $ spent on that replacement back. I think I was out of warranty and my extended kicked in after my $50 deductable.
iamthebandfanman
(8,127 posts)but I have no record of it anymore and don't even use the same bank..
hoping they have records of the repair at the dealership.. wont hold my breath. lol
Omaha Steve
(99,649 posts)I've had an extra key made. So I'll get three keys when they do the work.
Brigid
(17,621 posts)And see a lawyer.
lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)people altogether in the end.
Fearless
(18,421 posts)Jeesh!
Brigid
(17,621 posts)[img][/img]
Fearless
(18,421 posts)tanyev
(42,559 posts)When I hit the gas pedal, sometimes it would hesitate and then as I kept pressing it would catch, often propelling me forward faster than I meant. Made me a little nervous, but the last straw was when it hesitated and stopped, stranding me in an intersection. We paid for the repairs, but traded it in shortly afterward because I could still feel it hesitate sometimes. I hope nobody else was hurt in it.
I really did consciously buy American made cars for the first couple decades of my driving life. And I'm sorry, but every car I owned had major mechanical problems. I'm on my second Subaru now and they have been the most reliable cars I have ever owned.
I owned a subaru once and never had a problem with it. My current '04 Impala is in the shop for a new engine. There's a gasket that blows between the engine and the block - causes the car to overheat and shut down. Also causes dead cylinders. "They're known for that", says the mechanic. My '04 Denali has been in the shop since I got it for hauling last year - 80,000 m and been one thing after another. Stalling, air ride shot, waiting now for a radiator.
I'm going back to Dodge or Subaru with next purchase.