GM has filed a report with the NHTSA admitting to knowing about a second ignition-switch complaint in 2003, although the recall did not happen until 2014. This issue affected the Chevrolet Impala and Malibu, Pontiac Grand Prix and Grand Am, and Oldsmobile Alero.
IHS Automotive perspective | |
Significance | GM first learned of ignition switch issues in the mid-size Pontiac Grand am, Chevrolet Malibu, and Oldsmobile Alero in 2013, but did not issue recall until 2014, according to a report GM filed with the US NHTSA, although a running change had been made and dealers advised on how to handle the issue. GM started another investigation in May 2014 and a safety recall was issued in June, covering certain model years of several GM mid-size sedans. |
Implications | Among the NHTSA's concerns is the length of time between first identifying a potential issue and when a recall was issued – although this was also not identified as a safety issue in 2003. The first investigation resulted in a part change. However, the old part number was still listed as a "use" part and could have been used even after the new part was available. The report to the NHTSA indicates that GM did not start the 2014 investigation until the NHTSA forwarded a link to a Service Bulletin that had been issued in 2003. |
Outlook | The report to the NHTSA provides further detail as to specific actions GM did and did not take regarding potential ignition-switch issues in these vehicles, and that the issues went beyond the small cars recalled in February 2014. It also details actions in 2014 to investigate and resolve the issue. |
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a report it received from General Motors (GM) regarding the 30 June recall of 2000-2005 model year (MY) Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1998-2005MY Chevrolet Malibu, 1999-2004MY Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002MY Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005MY Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008MY Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. The vehicles were recalled over the possibility of the key shifting from out of the "run" position if the key ring is carrying added weight and the vehicle goes off-road or experiences a "jarring" experience, such as running over a pothole. If the key falls out of the run position, power steering and brakes are disabled, as well as airbags (see United States:1 July 2014: GM issues six safety recalls for 8.45 mil. vehicles).
GM was first made aware of the issue in 2003, on a customer complaint of intermittent vehicle shut offs. A GM brand quality manager visited the dealer and asked the customer to demonstrate the problem. The manager determined that the customer had an excessively heavy key ring (specifically, "approximately 50 keys and a set of brass knuckles"). GM advised dealerships to "pay attention to the key size and mass of the customer's key ring in order to better diagnose the customer's complaint." Additionally, an engineering work order was created to increase the detent plunger force on the ignition switch, and replacing one part number with a new one. However, the old part number remained listed as "use" in the GM system, meaning that it could have been used to service vehicles, the company said. A work order in 2004 increased the detent plunger force in the related Grand Prix, to maintain commonality rather than as a reaction to complaints; in that case, the part number was not changed. Bloomberg reports that the same engineer was responsible for the switches on mid-size cars in 2003 as the small cars.
GM says that on 22 May 2014, it received a link to the service bulletin from 2003 regarding the Malibu, Alero and Grand Am. A product investigations engineer was assigned to investigate those switches, as well as to expand to additional vehicles. Research into the problem included gathering and analysing data, while tests began at GM's Milford proving ground on 13 June and continued until 24 June. GM indentified that when the slotted key with a ring "is carrying added weight, the torque performance of the ignition system may be insufficient to resist energy generated when a vehicle goes off road or experiences some other jarring event, potentially resulting in the unintentional movement of the key away from the 'run' position."
The repair in this case is not to replace the ignition switch itself, but to install two key rings and a key cover on ignition keys.
Outlook and implications
In agreeing to closer oversight, GM provides higher levels of detail to the NHTSA. Although this report does not indicate whether GM felt this was a safety issue in 2003 (it did not with the Cobalt situation), it does imply similar handling of the situation. Unlike the recall that affected 2.6 million Cobalts and other small cars, in this case, GM does not consider the ignition switch to be faulty. This case also represents a situation where handling of part numbers contributed to ongoing situation – in this case, while the part number was changed for an updated switch, the prior part number was still listed as a "use" part. It is possible that more situations may yet come to light, but it is also significant that GM is in the process of updating current recall approaches, investigative processes and changes in the legal department to ensure safety issues are addressed transparently and quickly. There have been three deaths associated with Impalas covered under the recall, but it is not clear whether the ignition switch had fallen from the "run" position or was a factor.