GM recalls continue, now more than 11 million cars need repairs

For embattled automaker General Motors, the year just keeps getting longer. It recently announced a new round of recalls in the wake of a $35 million fine for failing to address past defects; specifically a ignition switch issue that led to the recall of more than 750,000 vehicles.

The latest recall involves a number of vehicles, including sedans, trucks and sport utility vehicles. The Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6 could succumb to an electrical issue that prevents a vehicle’s tail lights from functioning properly. Some SUVs could lose steering parts that were not secured properly. The Chevrolet Corvette could have problems with headlights and the Cadillac CTS could have issues with windshield wipers after the battery is jump-started.�

With this latest round of recalls, GM has recalled more than 11 million cars this year. In 2013, only 758,000 were recalled.�

Automakers have a continuing duty to make sure that products they sell are safe for their intended uses. This means that they must issue recalls from time to time to address safety issues that could be a danger to drivers and passengers. If they fail to do so, and an accident occurs due to an issue that should have been addressed by the manufacturer, it could be held liable for the injuries suffered in the crash. As such, recalls are a common occurrence as a way to stay out of lawsuits.

Despite this possibility, accidents caused by defects still occur. The inordinate number of GM recalls can be attributed to amount of scrutiny it has faced this year.�

Source:�NY Times.com “GM recalls 2.7 million vehicles, bringing its total to 11.2 million,” Bill Vlasic and Christopher Jensen, May 15, 2014