Updated: 6:45pm UK, Tuesday 01 April 2014The US House Energy and Commerce Committee has compiled a timeline of events leading up to General Motors' ignition switch recalls.
Here are some events highlighted by the committee:
:: 2001 - A pre-production report for the 2003 Saturn Ion identifies issues with the car's ignition switch. The report indicates that a design change fixed the problem.
:: 2002 - Ignition switch manufacturer Delphi submits a document indicating GM approved switches despite sample testing falling short of the car maker's specifications.
:: November 2004 - GM opens engineering inquiry following complaint that 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt can be "keyed off with knee while driving".
:: March 2005 - GM rejects proposed solution for ignition problem, citing long lead times and high costs.
:: July 2005 - A 2005 Chevy Cobalt crashes in Maryland killing 16-year-old driver Amber Marie Rose.
:: August 2005 - A probe into the July crash finds that the car's airbag system did not deploy after the vehicle lost power.
:: December 2005 - GM issues a bulletin to its dealers identifying a problem with ignitions in the Cobalt, Chevy HHR, Saturn Ion and Pontiac Solstice. GM recommends that drivers remove heavy items from key rings.
:: April 2006 - GM engineer authorises Delphi to implement ignition switch modifications. Changes meant to increase torque performance, and began to appear in 2007 models.
:: October 2006 - A 2005 Cobalt crash in Wisconsin kills two teenagers. GM updates 2005 bulletin to include additional models, and provides key inserts to nearly 500 customers who brought their cars to the dealer for service.
:: March 2007 - GM begins probe into accidents involving failed airbag deployments. By the end of the year, the car maker identifies at least four instances when the car's ignition had been in the off position at the time of the crash.
:: November 2007 - A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) official recommends an investigation into failed airbag deployments prompted by 29 complains, four fatal crashes and 14 field reports.
:: April 2009 - A 2005 Cobalt crashes in Pennsylvania, killing the driver and front passenger.
:: February 2010 - Calspan Crash Data Research Center releases findings from 2009 Pennsylvania crash, saying it was unable to determine why air bags did not deploy.
:: August 2011 - GM initiates a Field Performance Evaluation to examine frontal impact crashes involving 2005 to 2007 Cobalts and the 2007 Pontiac G5.
:: May 2012 - GM engineers test the torque performance of ignitions switches on over 40 cars across a range of make and models. Engineers find that the majority of vehicles from model years 2003 to 2007 exhibited torque at or below below the car maker's specifications.
:: April 2013 - GM hires outside engineering firm to conduct a thorough ignition switch investigation.
:: January 2014 - Mary Barra named GM's new chief executive.
:: February 2014 - GM announces recall of 2005 to 2007 model year Cobalts and Pontiac G5 vehicles. Recall later expanded to include 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2007 Chevy HHR, Pontiac Solstice and 2007 Saturn Sky.
:: March 2014 - NHTSA launches probe into GM's handling and reporting of safety-related issues.
:: March 2014 - GM again expands the ignition switch recall to cover all model years of the Cobalt, HHR, Pontiac G5, Solstice, Saturn Ion and Sky in the US.
View the original article here
Here are some events highlighted by the committee:
:: 2001 - A pre-production report for the 2003 Saturn Ion identifies issues with the car's ignition switch. The report indicates that a design change fixed the problem.
:: 2002 - Ignition switch manufacturer Delphi submits a document indicating GM approved switches despite sample testing falling short of the car maker's specifications.
:: November 2004 - GM opens engineering inquiry following complaint that 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt can be "keyed off with knee while driving".
:: March 2005 - GM rejects proposed solution for ignition problem, citing long lead times and high costs.
:: July 2005 - A 2005 Chevy Cobalt crashes in Maryland killing 16-year-old driver Amber Marie Rose.
:: August 2005 - A probe into the July crash finds that the car's airbag system did not deploy after the vehicle lost power.
:: December 2005 - GM issues a bulletin to its dealers identifying a problem with ignitions in the Cobalt, Chevy HHR, Saturn Ion and Pontiac Solstice. GM recommends that drivers remove heavy items from key rings.
:: April 2006 - GM engineer authorises Delphi to implement ignition switch modifications. Changes meant to increase torque performance, and began to appear in 2007 models.
:: October 2006 - A 2005 Cobalt crash in Wisconsin kills two teenagers. GM updates 2005 bulletin to include additional models, and provides key inserts to nearly 500 customers who brought their cars to the dealer for service.
:: March 2007 - GM begins probe into accidents involving failed airbag deployments. By the end of the year, the car maker identifies at least four instances when the car's ignition had been in the off position at the time of the crash.
:: November 2007 - A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) official recommends an investigation into failed airbag deployments prompted by 29 complains, four fatal crashes and 14 field reports.
:: April 2009 - A 2005 Cobalt crashes in Pennsylvania, killing the driver and front passenger.
:: February 2010 - Calspan Crash Data Research Center releases findings from 2009 Pennsylvania crash, saying it was unable to determine why air bags did not deploy.
:: August 2011 - GM initiates a Field Performance Evaluation to examine frontal impact crashes involving 2005 to 2007 Cobalts and the 2007 Pontiac G5.
:: May 2012 - GM engineers test the torque performance of ignitions switches on over 40 cars across a range of make and models. Engineers find that the majority of vehicles from model years 2003 to 2007 exhibited torque at or below below the car maker's specifications.
:: April 2013 - GM hires outside engineering firm to conduct a thorough ignition switch investigation.
:: January 2014 - Mary Barra named GM's new chief executive.
:: February 2014 - GM announces recall of 2005 to 2007 model year Cobalts and Pontiac G5 vehicles. Recall later expanded to include 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2007 Chevy HHR, Pontiac Solstice and 2007 Saturn Sky.
:: March 2014 - NHTSA launches probe into GM's handling and reporting of safety-related issues.
:: March 2014 - GM again expands the ignition switch recall to cover all model years of the Cobalt, HHR, Pontiac G5, Solstice, Saturn Ion and Sky in the US.
View the original article here
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