GM Ignition Switch Recall: A Story of Serious Injuries and Deaths

Marie Sachse, 81, was driving on a familiar road in clear weather in February 2009 when she lost control of her 2004 Saturn Ion. She struck a tree head-on but her air bags failed to deploy. Her daughter, Lisa Sachse Warfield, wants to know what happened to her mother.

“I have a right to know,” Warfield said.

The federal government recently inked a $35 million settlement with General Motors after the company failed to act, over a period of 10 years, on an ignition switch defect. Staffers of a congressional committee released a list of 13 deaths associated to the ignition switches in Saturn Ions and Chevy Cobalts. The ignition switch defect also led to the recall of approximately 2.6 million vehicles.

According to reports, the ignition switches would shut off while driving and would disable airbags, anti-lock brakes, and in some cases, power steering when the key is too heavy. It was revealed that GM employees knew of the problems since 2004.

GM refused to release the names of those who died, but revealed that nine of the crash victims were in Cobalts and four in 2004 Saturn Ions. In February and March, GM recalled 3.6 million vehicles for defective ignition switches. The vehicles include 2005-10 Cobalt, 2003-07 Ion, 2007-10 Pontiac G5, 2006-11 Chevy HHR, 2006-10 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-10 Saturn Sky.

The family of Sachse eventually settled with GM because the black box did not record data about the crash.

The congressional committee investigating why it took GM 10 years to own up to the defect released some details about the victims. Here are some of them:

• Amber Rose, 16, died when her 2005 Cobalt hit trees. Airbags did not deploy and her ignition switch was found in the accessory position. She was not wearing a seat belt and her blood alcohol level was 0.17. Her adoptive parents settled with GM.
• Amy Rademaker, 15, died when the 2005 Cobalt she was riding in went into a ditch, hit a telephone utility box and trees. The airbags did not inflate and the key was found in accessory position.
• Amy Breen, 42, died in Oct. 16, 2007 as her 2005 Cobalt careened off the road, hit a sign post, a guardrail and two trees. She was found slumped over the steering wheel. The airbag did not deploy.
• Natasha Weigel, 18, may not be on GM’s list because she was in the back seat and wouldn’t have been protected by the airbags. The driver of the car, however, has  permanent and severe brain damage.
• Grandmother Ester Mathews, 73, and her granddaughter Grace Elliot, 13, died after a drunk driver crossed their lane and hit them head on. Their air bags failed to deploy and their 2005 Cobalt was found in accessory mode. A 1-year old seated in the back survived but suffered a severe spinal injury.

Join a Free GM Recall Injury Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or a loved one were severely injured or died in an automobile accident related to the GM ignition recall, you may be eligible participate in the class action lawsuit and pursue compensation. The GM recall class action lawsuit will attempt to hold the automaker accountable for manufacturing and selling defective vehicles and failing to address safety flaws that endangered hundreds of thousands of customers. See if you qualify now at the GM Ignition Switch Recall Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.