General Motors conducted the 2014 vehicle recalls after a faulty ignition switch could move out of the run position and shut off the engine.
The switch problem could also disable airbags, increasing the danger during a crash. The defect affected several models, including the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion. Investigations found that GM had received reports of crashes, injuries, and deaths before the recall became public.
The recall became a major corporate and regulatory scandal because internal documents showed that the ignition-switch problem had been identified years earlier. GM eventually acknowledged that the defective part had been used in millions of vehicles and faced fines, lawsuits, and congressional scrutiny.
This case is often confused with later airbag recalls, but the ignition switch itself was made by Delphi, a GM supplier. The central safety issue was unintended loss of engine power and restraint-system function.