A recall of certain 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles has raised safety concerns on whether General Motors should have included four more models. In October 2006, GM sent dealers a technical service bulletin (TSB) warning about an ignition problem that could prevent the airbags from deploying. (NHTSA Technical Service Bulletin Number: 050235007)
According to the report, a heavy key chain hanging from the ignition combined with continued jarring of the vehicle and/or the driver’s knee contacting the key chain, could result in the ignition switch inadvertently moving out of the run position. The timing of the key movement out of the run position relative to the activation of the sensing algorithm of a crash could result in the airbags not deploying.
The models covered by the bulletin but not subject to the recall include:
- 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR
- 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice,
- 2003-2007 Saturn Ion
- 2007 Saturn Sky
According to a former associate administrator at the NHTSA, the ignition switches are the same ones used in all the models listed in the TSB and GM should have included all the vehicles in the recall.
