Repair-It

GM, which recalled millions of vehicles over the flaw in 2014, admitted using defective ignition switches for years and hiding it from customers and regulators. But the company is challenging suits that it believes wrongfully blame the flaw for crashes, injuries and deaths.

The first bellwether, selected by the plaintiffs, ended in embarrassment for their lawyers, who are among the best-known attorneys in the industry. That trial ended abruptly midstream when GM revealed evidence that the plaintiffs, an Oklahoma couple, had lied under oath and wrongfully blamed GM for the family’s eviction from their “dream house.”

Plaintiffs in all the cases allege GM endangered drivers and passengers by delaying the recall of defective vehicles. Due to a weakness in the design of ignition switches, jostled keys or a bump from a knee could shut off the engine, disable power steering, power brakes and airbags and leave occupants nearly helpless as vehicles careen out of control.

kevm14 wrote: I don't want to make excuses but it is still worth remembering that despite sounding like the car becomes a ballistic projectile, you actually still have steering and brakes. It's not good (still don't understand why the airbags don't work with the ignition key off - perhaps the true design flaw here), but it's not exactly something that is impossible to control, either.