GM recall worry some?

[citabria7]

Originally Posted by Chevy_cowboy

Nobody said the manufacturer doesn't share some blame, I just think drivers ed should have a chapter or two about emergency reaction and how to handle unexpected situations.

We can hope and assume tires will never blowout, or we can teach our kids how to stop safely and jack a car up and change it when it does. There's plenty of time to figure out who's to blame after the fact.

So how many car since the Model T have the ignition switches shut off the engine while driving? So we should have a training portion of drivers ed to cover what is mostly a GM problem?

How about: hey, GM, get some designers and engineers who know how to do their jobs.

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by citabria7

So how many car since the Model T have the ignition switches shut off the engine while driving? So we should have a training portion of drivers ed to cover what is mostly a GM problem?

How about: hey, GM, get some designers and engineers who know how to do their jobs.

with enough swinging weight on them, I think it could happen in just about anything that has a traditional column or dash mounted rotary ignition switch. I figured that out with my first vehicle, and has happened in our international truck's also. I tell our drivers to have no more than a handful of keys on their keychain and nothing long or dangling.

In the international 8600's its actually pretty easy to bump the key with your knee and turn it off, its right in front of your right knee. Its also just as easy to reach down and turn it back on.

[citabria7]

Originally Posted by Chevy_cowboy

with enough swinging weight on them, I think it could happen in just about anything that has a traditional column or dash mounted rotary ignition switch. I figured that out with my first vehicle, and has happened in our international truck's also. I tell our drivers to have no more than a handful of keys on their keychain and nothing long or dangling.

In the international 8600's its actually pretty easy to bump the key with your knee and turn it off, its right in front of your right knee. Its also just as easy to reach down and turn it back on.

I have owned a lot of cars, and never had anyone say having keys was a problem, or ever had one shut off. Sure indicates that GM switches are a little, or a lot, too delicate.

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by citabria7

I have owned a lot of cars, and never had anyone say having keys was a problem, or ever had one shut off. Sure indicates that GM switches are a little, or a lot, too delicate.

Its not so much the number of keys, its people who have multiple keychains connected together so there's a 6 or 8" long swinging weight hanging off the ignition... in hard bumps or aggressive maneuvers that weight will rotate the key just like your hand will. It also accelerates the wear on the switch and scratches up the dash around it, so all in all not a good idea. As a truck driver who switches trucks pretty often, I used to carry duplicates of most of my keys on one of those separating keychains so I could leave one vehicle running and start the other, or leave it running and lock the door at truck stops. that 6" long chain with a dozen or so keys on both ends of it did exactly what I'm talking about, and not just in GM cars. I still carry the same type of keychain but the spare half is clipped to my belt when I'm in a vehicle now.

[Chevy_cowboy]

But regardless of WHY the vehicle stalls, new drivers should be taught how to safely control and stop a stalled vehicle from highway speed. This used to be kinda common sense because cars stalling was a pretty common occurrence. As cars have gotten better and more reliable, people just assume everything will go perfectly and there's no need to know how to handle emergencies or breakdowns, so when one does occur, they just go into full panic.

[oldfriend]

Originally Posted by alaskacamaro

I spoke to a shop owner the other day about the recall on the ignition shut off. Camaro's should not have any issues. He told me the ignition issue will only happen if someone has a ton of stuff hanging from their keychain. The weight causes the key to push down against the switch which kills the engine.

Not an excuse but makes some sense

Those guys and girls at the top of the Foodchain , been GM or any other brand , will only freaking learn , when the laws change , and some big ass law firm will be able to bring their asses to the courts
After 12 or 13 people die , those lizards came out from hibernation and try to put a stop on that
When that day comes , that the top lizards can be liable for that , they will be more sensitive to the customers lives
Hate to say this , but that's the truce .
Only when it will hit their own skin , they will move quicker , and I'm not a pro lawyer guy either
Just now they have decided to stop selling at least one of the models in question .

[Visago]

Originally Posted by tmcclint

Yet another reason for GM to put push-button start in all their cars. To OP, I don't think this will hurt our cars. The Cobalts will probably get a bit more scrutiny at resale to make sure the ignition was fixed but other than that it will be fine.

This...exactly.

[meissen]

Originally Posted by jd10013

I hate to break it to you, but toyota almost always ranks first in initial and long term quality and reliability. they didn't get where they are by accident

You must have missed the 2014 JD Powers Reliability survey results in which General Motors ranked #1 manufacturer while having 8 vehicles ranked #1 in their segments. Toyota was #2.

[citabria7]

Originally Posted by Chevy_cowboy

Its not so much the number of keys, its people who have multiple keychains connected together so there's a 6 or 8" long swinging weight hanging off the ignition... in hard bumps or aggressive maneuvers that weight will rotate the key just like your hand will. It also accelerates the wear on the switch and scratches up the dash around it, so all in all not a good idea. As a truck driver who switches trucks pretty often, I used to carry duplicates of most of my keys on one of those separating keychains so I could leave one vehicle running and start the other, or leave it running and lock the door at truck stops. that 6" long chain with a dozen or so keys on both ends of it did exactly what I'm talking about, and not just in GM cars. I still carry the same type of keychain but the spare half is clipped to my belt when I'm in a vehicle now.

Ok, so how many other makes have had a consistent problem with engine shut offs? Are GM owners the only ones with large keychains?

[citabria7]

Originally Posted by oldfriend

Those guys and girls at the top of the Foodchain , been GM or any other brand , will only freaking learn , when the laws change , and some big ass law firm will be able to bring their asses to the courts
After 12 or 13 people die , those lizards came out from hibernation and try to put a stop on that
When that day comes , that the top lizards can be liable for that , they will be more sensitive to the customers lives
Hate to say this , but that's the truce .
Only when it will hit their own skin , they will move quicker , and I'm not a pro lawyer guy either
Just now they have decided to stop selling at least one of the models in question .

A few people in the slammer will get their attention.

[Sp00ner]

I used to drive an old Nissan where the ignition key would almost touch your knee if you were over 5'8, there must have been at least a dozen times where I'd hit a decent bump, slam my knee in to the keys and shut the car off.

I demand a recall and compensation.

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by citabria7

Ok, so how many other makes have had a consistent problem with engine shut offs? Are GM owners the only ones with large keychains?

How the heck would I know? I'd imagine when it happens to most people, they turn the key back on and it doesn't make headlines. I never thought to call the NTSB or CNN or a lawyer about it.

[Normagene]

More cars added to the Recall List today. Another 1.5 million. Malibu's and Pontiac G6. This time Power Steering can go out. So now its way over 2.5 million on the list. And the evidence doesn't look good, 2001 problem identified, 2002 GM approves even though it Does Not Meet GM Specifications. Inquiry opened in 2004 and closed in 2005. GM concluded: Fixes takes too long and COST TOO MUCH. NO SOLUTION REPRESENTS AN ACCEPTABLE BUSINESS CASE.

The Lawyers are going to eat GM alive, and the government will be handing out Record Fines. GM put Profits over Human Lives.

[Cuda7050]

Some people need to get a clue. This is a very serious matter for those that suffer tragedy. Below is a picture of my 16 year old daughter the day she got her Saturn Ion. Next to it is the Saturn after a near fatal accident when she was 17 in 2011. Her life is changed forever. She will deal with debilitating injuries and major medical bills the rest of her life. The accident has the same characteristics of ignition failure, no evasive turns or braking, just a drift off the road into a large pine tree. Now with this recall, we have many questions.