Category Archives: litigation

GM to Replace Lock Cylinders as Ignition Switch Recall Expands

General Motors has told NHTSA that it is adding ignition lock cylinders to its safety recall of 2.2 million cars in the United States. The defective cylinders from former in-house supplier Delphi can allow removal of the ignition key while the engine is running, leading to a possible rollaway, crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries. Continue reading

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Q1 Recall Charge at GM for Ignition Switches Now at $1.3 Billion. More Shareholder Earnings Nicks Will be Coming

GM said today that it expects to take a charge of about$1.3 billion in Q1 for the cost of safety recall related repairs announced – thus far – in the 2014 calendar year. This amount includes the $750 million charge previously announced on 31 March. Continue reading

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Two Mexican Illegals Charged in Wisconsin for Odometer Fraud

The indictment alleges that from late 2009 through February 2014, the defendants rolled back the odometers on at least 146 vehicles. Continue reading

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Kerr-McGee $5.15 Billion Cleanup Settlement Largest in History

“If you are responsible for 85 years of poisoning the earth, then you are responsible for cleaning it up,” said U.S. Attorney Bharara. “That’s why this case was brought.” Continue reading

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GM Ignition Switch Hearings and More on Car Concerns Radio

Hear a discussion about a simple question – asked in various ways repeatedly at the GM U.S. Congressional hearings with no answers – why did it take a decade to recall what GM now admits was a defective Delphi ignition switch whose failure caused cars to stall suddenly while the airbags were disabled. And much more. Continue reading

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Asleep at the Switch! Head of NHTSA Friedman, GM CEO Barra Duck Tough Questions at House Hearing

The ‘we’re still looking at it’ excuse was particularly lame in front of grandstanding Congresspersons, many of whom were clearly ignorant of the technicalities surrounding the issue. Lost in the hype is the fact that people die from airbag deployment if they are not wearing a seatbelt and as a result are moving forward during the explosion. Continue reading

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Odometer Fraud and Carfax Scam in New York Uncovered

Capicchioni also took steps to hide his odometer fraud scheme. He checked the Carfax public database to see if it included a mileage entry that was higher than the false, lower mileage to which he reset the odometer. When Carfax included a higher mileage, Capicchioni submitted to Carfax fraudulent documentation in the name of the vehicle’s prior owner, in order to have the higher mileage reading removed. Continue reading

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Toyota Motor Guilty of Criminal Fraud. Cops $1.2 Billion Plea

This appears to be ‘cash register justice’ at its worst. Toyota is buying its way out of its blatantly illegal behavior where people died, and former Toyota employees working at NHTSA, the U.S. safety regulator, stalled an investigation and needed recalls for years. Continue reading

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Jeff Boyer New Vehicle Safety Chief at GM

Boyer, a GM lifer who has spent nearly 40 years in engineering and safety positions at GM, now has global responsibility for the safety development of GM vehicle systems, confirmation and validation of safety performance, as well as post-sale safety activities, including recalls. Continue reading

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GM Recalls More Vehicles, Some for Airbag Failures

GM did not provide a timeline explaining how long it has known about the latest safety defects. U.S. regulations only give a manufacturer five days after it discovers a safety problem to submit a recall plan to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, something GM did not do in the now notorious ignition switch recall which saw GM first deny a safety defect existed, and then issue a recall as well as an apology, and then expand the recall to cover more cars. Continue reading

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CAS Says GM Ignition Switch Airbag Failure Caused 303 Deaths

These explosive allegations from an organization that is funded by product liability lawyers is the latest negative development in the ongoing GM ignition switch controversy, which has seen GM first deny a safety defect existed, and then issue a recall, as well as an apology, and then expand the recall to cover more cars. Continue reading

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Where’s the Independent Investigation of NHTSA for Failure to act on Deadly GM Ignition Switches and Air Bag Failures?

In AutoInformed’s view, the circumstances cries out for an independent investigation and an independent prosecutor dealing with both involved parties, one that is immune to political maneuvering and internal politics at NHTSA and GM. Continue reading

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Denso Exec Guilty for Obstructing Parts Price Fixing Probe

Kazuaki Fujitani, once a director of Denso in Japan will serve one year and one day in a U.S. prison instead of the maximum price fixing penalty of 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of $250,000 for individuals. Continue reading

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Bridgestone Latest Japanese Scofflaw as Auto Supplier Price Fixing Scandal Expands Yet Again

Including Bridgestone, 26 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty in the department’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the automotive parts industry. Continue reading

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EPA 2013 Enforcement Collects $4.5 billion in Criminal Fines

The U.S. EPA has released its annual report on enforcement efforts and it shows the agency’s cases resulted in criminal sentences requiring violators to pay more than $4.5 billion in combined fines, restitution and court-ordered environmental projects that benefit communities, and more than $1.1 billion in civil penalties. Continue reading

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