After a Delay of Years, Mazda Recalls 4.9 Million Vehicles

The New York Times

"As attention to auto safety intensified after General Motors’ admission last year that it had failed for a decade to disclose a deadly defect in millions of cars, many automakers have scrambled to address lingering safety problems. This week, Mazda became the latest automaker to do so, revealing for the second time in three months that it had known about safety problems for years before alerting customers. In the latest case, Mazda announced that it was recalling 4.9 million vehicles worldwide, including 1.4 million in the United States, because too much grease in the ignition switch could cause a short circuit and possibly a fire. The automaker knew about the problem seven years ago, according to a filing submitted this week to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It took action only after Japanese regulators opened an investigation this year."