Unintended consequences...steering column lock obselete...

Is there reports of the steering wheel locking with this problem? The report only mentions power steering being turned off. It can be tough, but the car is still steerable without the power assist.

 

Nobody likes their vehicle being involved in a recall, but the really sad and upsetting thing about this one, is the admission that there have already been "multiple deaths" as a result of this condition.

Even though for most of my life, most of my family were either a Toyota or Honda owner, early in my childhood we owned...Fords and Chevys...and they sprinkled in over the years.

I want to trust and like American Auto's, and American Auto Manufacturers but when you hear about things like this?

Glad GM is FINALLY doing the right thing. I fear they might of been slow in reacting.

 

There is an earlier thread on this recall.
GM Recall: 2005-2007 Cobalts and Pontiac G5s | PriusChat
From the article there, "GM says the six fatalities occurred in five front-end crashes, all of which happened off-road and at high speeds...Alcohol was involved in three of the fatalities, and in some cases the occupants weren't wearing seat belts..."
It isn't 100% clear if they were being driven off road, went off road due to the ignition fault. I lean to it being the first.

 

ABC News mentioned last night loss of power as well as air bag deployment can be deactivated. Also mentioned GM knew about this problem for 10 years! (ABC News claims to have received a memo) One of GMs' engineers began looking into the above back on 2007.

It a shame that injuries even deaths have occurred, especially if GM knew about the above.

Where is the ethics with this corporation? Reminds me of the 1960s' - Ralph Nader, "Unsafe at Any Speed" a book on the Corvair.

Same old, same old.

DBCassidy

 

was bob klutz in charge during this episode?

 

The story I read places the blame for the damage on the weight dangling from the keychain. IMO, not entirely the manufacturer's fault. If the chain is swinging like a pendulum it's time to remove the weight.

 

I don't know, if it's fixable, it's fixable...which would suggest to me, the problem should never of existed.

And in GM's own statement they say " a heavy key ring OR jarring from rough roads. I think you can argue there is a weight that becomes unreasonable for a key ring...but "rough roads"?

GM also is NOW referring to them as "faulty" ignitions switches. As well as knowing about this problem evidently since 2004.

The admission that GM initially approved an engineers plan to redesign the ignition switch in 2005 but it was cancelled is further maddening, but would also suggest to me that the problem lies primarily with the ignition switches and not with any owners habits such as heavy key rings.

The negligent incompetence seems pretty consistent and ongoing. Issuing only service bulletins, and calling upon dealerships to advise owners not to dangle "too many items from their key chain" , is IMO not enough of an answer to a problem that is killing and has killed your customers.

 

Neither was "don't have two sets of floor mats".
Most of the manufacturers need to be more proactive and transparent in these situations.

 

For Toyota though...it became a matter of being involved in some very public tragedies.

To be honest, this is the first I've heard about a problem with GM ignition switches leading to vehicle failures and even death. And evidently at least some knowledge of the potential of this problem manifesting existed since 2004.

Which would lead someone to wonder, does that mean GM has just been better at keeping it quiet and covering up the problem until recently? Were Toyota's problems just made more public? Or is there a fundamental difference in the respective companies approaches to dangerous safety related problems.

Toyota investigated some of the reports of unintended acceleration and concluded at least in on very high profile tragedy that it was a result of ill-fitting or the wrong floor mats being installed in the vehicle. So even though it sounds obvious and like a "dodge" Toyota had to make the statement...warning people of what should be obvious.

You can laugh about Toyota offering Zip Ties to secure floor mats...but it was a legitimate answer to a legitimate problem.

I'd be curious to read a GM owners manual and see what their official "in the manual" statement is about Key Rings and Ignition switches. Are there warnings specifically about using a key ring and weight?

I think it is kind of a perspective thing. You can look at Toyota's recent history and say "Toyota was involved in the largest recall in Automotive history!" and think it a "bad thing". Or you can say,- Toyota did the right thing for their vehicles and for their customers-on the largest scale ever.

What perspective I think should be applied, is based on length of time knowledge of the problem existed, and the seriousness of the problem in relationship to owner safety. IMO 1 death is 1 death too many, for a preventable problem.

 

I've had my share of GM ignition switch-related issues:

- My '66 Impala allowed me to remove the key from the ignition without turning the vehicle off or putting the ignition switch fully into a locked position. One of my buddies started the car with a screwdriver.

- The C5 Corvette had a problem with column locks occasionally engaging while the car was being driven (or not disengaging when started). The ignition switch was on the dash and the column lock was activated by a circuit. Like a lot of other owners, I bought an aftermarket column-lock-defeat kit. I pulled the lower dash apart, pulled the connectors, cycled the column lock to the open position, and then plugged in a circuit to fool the computer into believing the column lock was working as usual.

 

I think the difference is the type and place the accidents occurred in.

This faulty ignition was most susceptible to failure when the car is driven off road. As indicated by the number of deaths that occurred off road.
Or possible when driven erratically, judging from the number where alcohol was involved.

The Toyota events happened on highways, and in one case, to an off duty state patrol officer. Very "front page" stuff.

That said, the fact GM knew about this for almost 10 years means, IMO, criminal charges should be filed for any deaths that occurred after GM knew of the issue.

 

NHTSA is looking into whether GM acted in a timely manner.

US regulators to probe GM handling of 1.6m cars recall linked to 13 deaths | Business | theguardian.com

 

The Prius doesn't have a steering column lock? Other Toyota vehicles with push-button start do... I'm going to check mine tomorrow to check it out.

 

Why did Gm wait nearly a decade before issuing a recall...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

faulting ignitions switch 13 deaths and 31 crashes...

“It’s incredible to me that General Motors could have ignored this defect for a decade,” says Joan Claybrook, former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall was announced last month, but the first problems emerged a decade ago when GM engineers found that a heavy key chain could turn off the engine and disable airbags.
GM shares fell more than 5 percent yesterday – their sharpest one-day decline in over two years. In addition to the Justice Department moves, NHTSA has opened an investigation into whether the GM recall came far too late. Congressional hearings are also expected.

 

The thread title wasn't clear, but there is a thread on this.

Unintended consequences...steering column lock obselete... | PriusChat

 

It will be interesting to see the comparisons between the Toyota and the SUA issue versus GM and the ignition switch issue.

 

thanks TB