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AAA Reaction to General Motors Internal Investigation Report


recall

ORLANDO, FL--June 5, 2014: "The complete Valukas report examining General Motors' failures related to its ignition switch recall describes at least 11 instances in which GM was negligent in addressing the issue, and documents consistent patterns of misconduct and poor judgment by GM employees that put consumers unknowingly at risk for more than a decade.

"The company had repeated opportunities to take appropriate measures to remedy the problem, but did not act. On at least two occasions, GM refused to accept the findings of outside investigations, including those of a trooper with the Wisconsin state police and the Indiana University Transportation Research Center. In addition, undocumented changes to the defective switch made ultimate identification of the issue all the more difficult.

"AAA is encouraged by the announcement that General Motors accepts responsibility for the deadly delayed recall, and GM's promise to aggressively address future safety issues. However, the report also reveals a corporate culture that placed business interests above the safety of consumers. A systemic reluctance to raise and react to critical safety concerns at GM reflects an ingrained culture that could require years to fully eradicate.

"While the Valukas report provides valuable insight into the root causes of GM's delayed ignition switch recalls, the report itself will not bring about change. AAA believes that GM's promise of reform should be supplemented with greater federal oversight of the recall system."