• blog 2012 09 21 gm announces recall of nearly half a million automobiles

Due in part to four reports of accidents, General Motors has announced the recall of more than 426,000 vehicles this week with the concern that a manufacturing defect could lead to even more crashes. According to a statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, GM is recalling vehicles that were manufactured with a 4-speed automatic transmission because of a defect that can make the vehicles appear to be in a different gear than they actually are.

So far, the recall is affecting owners of Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured and sold between 2008 and 2010, as well as Saturn Aura models sold between 2007 and 2010. According to the report, the transmission shift cable tabs can possibly separate, which could lead to the vehicle shifting to drive while it appears to be in park. It goes without saying that this means that these automobiles could begin moving without notice and cause serious accidents and injury, even if the driver has already left the vehicle.

Hardly a Banner Year for GM

This latest recall is just further egg on the figurative face of GM, as the company has already announced various recalls in the last few months alone. Most recently, the automobile manufacturer announced the recall of more than 45,000 Chevy Sonic vehicles due to defective wiper blade hoses that had the potential to disconnect and leave drivers without the ability to clean their windshields. The Sonic, currently the third-highest ranked “affordable small car” in America, is marketed worldwide under various names; however, the NHTSA and GM only reported an issue with the American version.

Additionally, in August, GM recalled more than 36,000 Chevy Impala police cruisers due to defects in the lower front control arms that could have led to serious accidents, especially in high speed pursuits. This recall left a number of police departments without their standard number of cruisers, limiting their officers’ response ability.

Most notably, GM recalled more than 258,000 automobiles during July and August because of defects that created the potential for fire hazards. Included in the two recalls were Buick Rainier, Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender, and SAAB 9-7x models.

For more information about this latest GM recall, visit the NHTSA website or contact GM at (800) 521-7300.

If you or a loved one owns one of the affected models and have experienced an injury, contact Newsome Melton LLP and fill out a case evaluation form today.