GM Ignition Switch Complaints Date Back 17 Years

Could General Motors have avoided a massive recall by listening to its customers 17 years ago?

GM owners have been complaining about defective ignition switches since 1997, years before the Chevrolet Cobalt was even on the market. This week, the company expanded its recall even more with another 8.4 million vehicles being recalled. According to a Reuters review of a consumer complaints database, GM dealers were told of faulty switches almost as soon as the Malibu was available on the market. The 1997 Chevrolet Malibu was included in the recent recall.

SEE ALSO: GM Recalls Another 8.4 Million Vehicles

One of the earliest complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration noted that in April 1997, a New Jersey woman had been “stranded seven times” with her 1997 Malibu because it could not be started. Other early complaints included keys that either stuck in the ignition or could be pulled out while the vehicle was running.

[Source: Automotive News]

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