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GM’s Recall Was Too Little Too Late
General Motors recalled hundreds of thousands of cars due to their faulty ignition, but was it too late? The death toll tied to faulty ignition switches in General Motors’ small cars has risen to 19, according to a compensation expert hired by the company. That number is likely to rise.
Kenneth Feinberg determined 19 wrongful death claims are eligible for payments from GM; the company’s estimate of deaths has remained at 13 for months, although the automaker acknowledged the possibility of a higher count.
Feinberg received 125 death claims due to the faulty switches in older-model small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt. The rest remain under review or require further documentation, he said in a report issued Monday.
“The public report is simply reporting on those eligible to date,” Feinberg spokeswoman Camille Biros said in an email. “There will certainly be others.”
GM has admitted to knowing about the ignition switch problem for over a decade, though it didn’t begin recalling the switches in 2.6 million small cars until earlier this year. The automaker hired Feinberg to compensate victims of crashes caused by the switches, and Feinberg has said GM has not limited the total amount he can pay.
Some lawmakers have estimated the death toll is closer to 100.
Biros, citing confidentiality agreements, said Feinberg will not identify any of those eligible for payments, nor will he say if the 19 deemed eligible include the 13 deaths that GM has documented. GM has not identified the 13 victims; the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has not tallied the total number of deaths.
Biros said no claims have been rejected yet, although Feinberg is in the process of turning down a few because they don’t meet the requirements for compensation. Feinberg will issue reports each Monday on how many claims have been granted, she added.
Feinberg also has received 320 claims for compensation due to injuries. Of those, 12 have been deemed eligible for payments so far.
Of the injury claims, 58 were in the most serious category, seeking compensation for injuries resulting in loss of use of limbs, amputation, permanent brain damage or pervasive burns, the Feinberg statement said. Another 262 claims are for less-serious injuries that required hospital stays or outpatient medical treatment within 48 hours of the crash. Will GM be able to get out of this without it affecting their brand?
Toyota Recall More Than 500,000 Vehicles in Canada
Toyota Motor Corp. recently had an international recall, affecting a large number of Canadians. The recall is for a variety of problems spanning nearly 30 models in Japan, North America, Europe and other places. Some vehicles were recalled for more than one problem. The recall cases total 6.76 million vehicles for 27 Toyota models, the Pontiac Vibe and the Subaru Trezia, produced from April 2004 through August 2013.
Toyota Canada issued two separate recall notices affecting a total of 513,401 vehicles on Wednesday as part of the global initiative. One of the recalls affects 360,963 cars and SUVs with a spiral cable assembly that can be damaged when the steering wheel is turned and then, potentially, prevent the driver’s airbag from deploying in a crash.
The spiral cable assembly is in a large range of models, including the Corolla, RAV4, Matrix, Yaris, Highlander, and Tacoma, that were from various model years.
No injuries or crashes have been reported related to the recalls announced Wednesday. But two reports of fires are linked to one of the problems, a defective engine starter that can keep the motor running. The engine starter wasn’t named in either of Toyota Canada’s recalls.
The Pontiac Vibe, which is a General Motors Co. model, is also involved because Toyota and GM made cars at the same plant in California and the recalled model is the same as the Toyota Matrix. It was recalled for a problem with a spiral cable attached to an air-bag. It is unrelated to a separate GM recall over ignition switches linked to at least 13 deaths. This is one of the biggest recalls in the car companies history, and will affect their next quarters sales.
To read the full article go to: www.ctvnews.com
Can Your Car Make You Sick?
Everyone takes pride in their cars, and wants to keep them clean. New evidence shows cars can be full of germs and make you sick.
But don’t let that squeaky clean look deceive you. Hitching on for a ride can be all sorts of bacteria, mold, viruses and dust mites. This can really make a difference during the flu and allergy seasons.
Jill Holdsworth is an infection preventionist and is president of the DC Metro Chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. She says the car can be a very big place to pass bacteria back and forth if you are not careful.
“The No. 1 hot spots would be anywhere that you touch with your hands,” Holdsworth said. These areas include the steering wheel, radio, gear shift, cup holders and car seats.
The number of germs in a car would astound anyone. Experts say it is important to have hand sanitizer and wipes in every car.
Honda Announces Recall of its Odyssey Minivans
Once known for its safety and luxury, the Honda Odyssey is under recall. Honda Motor is recalling 886,815 Odyssey minivans in the U.S. for risk of fire from a fuel leak.
The recall covers 886,815 Odysseys from the 2005 to 2010 model years, according to documents posted Saturday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration web site.
Honda reported that the cover on the fuel pump strainer can deteriorate and crack. It said that could lead to a fuel smell or to a leak that would pose a risk of fire. No crashes or fires have been reported, the company said.
Honda said it had indications of the problem in 2012 and initiated an investigation. It was determined that exposure to high temperatures and to acidic chemicals, such as those used in car washes, fertilizers and dust control agents, can cause premature deterioration of the cover, which is from supplier Denso.
New, luxurious, and secure: Audi introduces new safety features
If there were ever a sedan that deserved the descriptor of “luxury,” surely it’s the Audi A8. Particularly in long-wheelbase form. But for many of Audi’s wealthy customers around the world – namely those in developing markets – there can be no greater luxury than security. And for just those customers, Audi has announced the new A8 L Security.
These new safety features include active lane assist, which tugs the steering to bring the car back into its lane if it drifts unintentionally across the lane markings. Also there are night-vision pedestrian detection and a fully featured head-up display. Blind-spot warning also continues as part of the A8 package.
In addition, you’ll also be able to ensure the safety of parked cars, since optional park assist will be available to steer the A8 into a parking slot.
Read the full story here.