GM engine fire defect vehicles set for fourth recall

On behalf of Noland Law Firm, LLC posted in car accidents on Friday, November 6, 2015.

We all know driving a motor vehicle can be dangerous. There is the threat of drunk or distracted drivers. In heavy congestion and with construction delays around Kansas City, there is always the risk of being rear-ended by an inattentive motorist. There are drowsy drivers and fatigued truckers, who could trigger a crash as they doze off. And there is always the weather, from winter snow and ice to sudden thunderstorms in the summer.

So, wouldn’t it be ironic if you survived all of that during your day driving around, only to be burned in your home after you arrive back safely? Well, if you own one of the cars General Motors (GM) recalled last week, you may want to leave it on the street until they manage to develop an effective repair for a defect that has caused more than 1,300 fires, 19 injuries and burned some structures, like garages.

This recall involves older cars, dating from 1997 to 2004. The troubling part of this story is that GM has attempted to fix this defect during three earlier recalls. One complaint filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration noted the car was taken to a dealer to be fixed, and yet after that repair, it nonetheless caught fire and burned.

This has not been a good year for GM or the auto industry as a whole, which has seen old problems,  like this engine fire defect, the GM ignition switch defect and the deadly air bag manufactured by Takata, all of which took years for recalls to be initiated. And some, like this one and the air bag defect, have been subject to numerous recalls, which have been either ineffective or not sufficiently comprehensive.

And on top of all of this, the VW emissions cheating scandal further erodes public confidence in the honesty of the car manufacturers. Is it any wonder some vehicle owners are becoming frustrated? For GM owners of these vehicles, let us hope this repair truly fixes the defect.