New lawsuit filed against General Motors goes beyond switches

Plaintiffs reveal how alleged faulty ignition switch caused them to lose control of their vehicles

DETROIT – A handful of class-action lawsuits have already been filed in the General Motors ignition switch investigation, but the latest has a bit of a twist.

The Local 4 Defenders obtained a copy of the class-action lawsuit filed Monday against General Motors -- the latest legal problem for the automaker.

Related: GM CEO to testify at House hearing on recall

In the documents are stories from 13 plaintiffs -- most of them in California -- who all reveal how the alleged faulty ignition switch caused them to lose control of their vehicles.

Attorneys claim not only did GM know the switches were faulty but also knew the position was problematic.

Attorneys said, "Since at least 2005, GM has known that simply replacing the ignition switches on the defective vehicles is not a solution for the potential for the key to inadvertently turn from the 'run' to the 'accessory/off' position in these vehicles."

The argument, attorneys said, is the switches won't do enough, that further action needs to be taken to protect the driver from bumping the key or key fob.

Besides creating an even bigger PR nightmare for GM, having to possibly take on additional action to shield ignition switches could add to the overall cost of the recall.

This lawsuit could grow. Local 4 Defenders have learned attorneys who filed this case are working to locate other potential victims across the country.


About the Author:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.