Is your car safe to drive? GM has answers about ignition recall

MILWAUKEE (WITI) --  As millions of GM cars are being recalled many owners are reporting frustration and uneasiness. Why? They still can't get their cars fixed.

Imagine driving your car and all of a sudden it stops, the power goes out, and you have no control. That's the much publicized problem that could happen to millions of GM cars, and one local woman has seen the scary problem first hand.

When Amy Horne was having strange car problems with her 2007 Saturn Ion a few months ago, even the repair shop couldn't figure out what was going on.

"I would just be driving and it would turn off, stop. It wouldn't be working and I'd have to put it in park to start it over and keep driving. I'd be in the middle of the road and it would just turn off," said Horne.

In Hammond, Wis. two other young women were not as fortunate. The GM Cobalt they were in apparently turned off unexpectedly. The car hit a tree and the young women were killed. Two of 13 whose deaths are being blamed on faulty ignition switches in GM cars.

February 7th, 2014 the recalls began, but many drivers find the parts are not available.

"I am still driving it. We're waiting to hear from our car dealer about new parts coming in. For now I'm driving with just my key in the ignition hoping nothing happens anymore," said Horne.

In letters just sent to affected owners, GM says the ignition key is too easy to turn. If the car is jostled or jolted it's possible for the key to easily turn on or off. Power to the car is stopped, including power to the airbags.

"We hope to put our best foot forward in what is a very difficult situation," said Jim Cain, GM spokesman.

The company recommends driving with the ignition key only. No key chain with other key or objects that could add weight to the ignition key.

"It will be about the October time frame before we have enough parts to give us the ability to repair a majority of the cars," said Cain.

GM says it is providing loaners or rentals free of charge to those who don't feel comfortable driving their recalled vehicles, and there are 34,000 cars they've already loaned out.

However, a call went out to one local dealer who said their loaners are all out and none remain.

CLICK HERE for all information to GM's ignition recall -- including vehicles affected, a three-point check plan and video messages from GM CEO Mary Barra (see below).

In the meantime, GM's message to owners of affected cars reads as follows:

"If you are driving an affected vehicle, until the ignition recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that you remove all items from your key ring, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable) should also be removed from your key ring. Before exiting the vehicle, it’s also very important for you to make sure the vehicle is in “Park” or in the case of a manual transmission, to put the transmission into reverse gear and set the parking brake."

You're urged to contact GM for answers to any other questions about the ignition recall at 1-800-222-1020.





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