Almost 5,000 complaints and over 30,000 warranty claims have been made against General Motors relating to faulty power steering in one of their most popular compact models, the Saturn Ion. Faulty power steering linked to car accidents has resulted in devastating personal injuries including broken bones, traumatic brain injury and even death. In March, General Motors recalled approximately 300,000 Saturn Ions to address these power steering problems. But was it too little, too late?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released documents raising significant questions about General Motor’s “delay” in recalling the Saturn vehicles. According to government documents, General Motors was aware of complaints with the power steering components in the Saturn Ion for at least ten years. As the number of fatalities linked to these defective vehicles continues to increase, critics and safety experts have begun to question the length of the Saturn recall delay. Why did General Motors allow these dangerous vehicles to remain on the road for so long?
According to a New York Times investigative report, General Motors avoided the expense and publicity associated with a vehicle recall by instead issuing technical service bulletins. Technical service bulletins are routinely issued by automakers to address a variety of problems. Thousands of technical service bulletins were issued each year, many addressing relatively minor technical issues.
Documents released by the NHTSA indicate that General Motors had been warned previously that the use of technical service bulletins in place of full recalls for dangerous defects was unacceptable. A Congressional investigation is underway to examine this issue closer. In the meantime, General Motors continues its recall of several popular vehicles including Chevy Cobalts, Pontiac G5s, Chevy HHRS, Pontiac Solstices, Saturn Ions and Saturn Skys.
Defective products that result in personal injury can have a devastating physical, emotional and financial impact on families. Costs associated with past and future medical treatment, loss of wages, loss of earning capacity and rehabilitation can be overwhelming. The Philadelphia products liability attorneys at Galfand Berger will work tirelessly on your behalf to assist you in receiving the maximum amount of compensation for your claim. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will guide you through the investigation of your claim, settlement negotiations and trial, if necessary. With offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, Reading and Bethlehem, Galfand Berger attorneys handle clients throughout Pennsylvania, including the Harrisburg and Allentown regions, as well as the South Jersey area. To schedule your free confidential consultation, call us today at 1-800-222-8792 or contact us online.