GM Ignition Problems

GM had long known about ignition problem. The New York Times (3/25, Stout, Vlasic, Ivory, Ruiz, Subscription Publication, 5.41M) reports that almost five years ago, “any doubts were laid to rest among engineers at General Motors about a dangerous and faulty ignition switch.” At a meeting in May, 2009, the engineers “learned that data in the black boxes of Chevrolet Cobalts confirmed a potentially fatal defect existed in hundreds of thousands of cars.” However, in the time that followed, GM “told the families of accident victims and other customers that it did not have enough evidence of any defect in their cars, interviews, letters and legal documents show.” Ultimately, GM was forced to recall 1.6 million cars last month.