The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not off the hook for its part in General Motors Co.'s delayed ignition switch recall. During opening remarks at a hearing today to discuss the automaker's exhaustive report into the recall, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton said public officials will be addressing the vehicle safety watchdog's shortcomings as part of the recall "in the near future."
DETROIT, MI- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not off the hook for its part in General Motors Co.'s delayed ignition switch recall.
During a hearing today to discuss the automaker's exhaustive report into the recall, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, said public officials will address the vehicle safety watchdog's shortcomings as part of the recall "in the near future."
"We don't yet have all the answers about what changes in our laws, regulator's practices, or the company's culture would have prevented this safety defect from lingering so long or harming so many," Upton said during the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation hearing in Washington, D.C. "But we're going to find out, yes we will. The system failed, people died, and it could have been prevented."
Upton blamed both GM and NHTSA for the delayed recall of 2.6 million vehicles that have been linked to at least 13 deaths and more than 50 accidents.
At least twice since the affected vehicles were launched, NHTSA declined to open an official investigation into the vehicles even after numerous fatal accidents occurred without the airbag inflating.
David Friedman, the acting head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 1, 2014, before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) On April 1, NHTSA acting administrator David Friedman testified to the committee that the GM withheld information regarding the affected vehicles. He said, if NHTSA had that information, which involved linking the vehicle's stalling due to the faulty ignition switches to the non-deployment of airbags, it would have forced a recall.
Vehicles with the faulty ignition switches can cause the key to move out of the "run" position to the "accessory" or "off" positions, leading to a loss of power. If the key turns to one of those positions, the front air bags may not work if there's a crash.
According to testimony and documents submitted to the committee, GM knew the ignition switches didn't meet its own expectations about the ignition switches in the early-2000s, but did not recall the vehicles until February.
The hearing today – entitled "The GM Ignition Switch Recall: Investigation Update" – is a follow-up to the initial hearing with David Friedman and Barra. (Click here to watch the hearing live.)
Today's hearing is centered around GM's exhaustive internal investigation from former U.S. attorney Anton Valukas. Barra and Valukas are currently facing from members of the committee Wednesday morning.
FILE - In this file combination made from file photos, General Motors CEO Mary Barra testifies before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, left, and former U.S. Attorney Anton R. Valukas testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on April 20, 2010, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Charles Dharapak, File) Valukas' report – a product of more than 350 interviews with more than 230 people and analysis of more than 41 million documents – found evidence of "a pattern of management deficiencies and misjudgments," but no cover up by the corporation.
During her first trip to Capitol Hill, Barra was questioned by more than 20 members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation for over 2 1/2 hours regarding the delayed recall.
Members of the panel interrupted and cut Barra off numerous times during the hearing, as the 52-year-old exec tried to replace "yes" and "no" answers for longer ones that were many times focused on the "new GM" rather than the pre-bankrupt company that approved the ignition switches knowing they didn't meet the company's own specifications.
The 2.6 million vehicles affected by the ignition switch recall include 2003-2007 Saturn Ions, 2007-2010 Saturn Skys, 2005-2011 Chevrolet HHRs, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstices, and 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 models.
Editor's note: MLive automotive reporter Michael Wayland is covering the hearing remotely from Detroit.
Michael Wayland covers the automotive industry for MLive. Email him at MWayland@mlive.com & follow him on Twitter @MikeWayland or Google+.