Unfixed Recalled GM Cars Still On Dealer Lots In Denver
DENVER (CBS4) – General Motors announced it is recalling another 3.2 million vehicles because of ignition switch problems.
GM says the switches can unexpectedly slip out of the "run" position if the cars are jarred, such as by going over railroad tracks or a pothole. That can shut off the engine and disable power steering and air bags.
The company has already recalled 2.6 million older small cars for a similar problem. Many recalled cars have yet to be fixed but still for sale on dealer lots in the Denver area.
CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger visited used car lots and found no shortage of those under recall for sale. There is nothing illegal about it but it raises concern about those who might end up driving them.
At one dealer Sallinger found a recalled Chevrolet Cobalt and the salesman offered a Carfax report. It revealed the car had an open recall for the ignition problem but the salesman said it was up to the buyer to repair.
"Once you own the vehicle you can take it to Chevy and any recall is done for free," the salesman said.
A congressional subcommittee is investigating GM's handling of the matter. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colorado, is among those concerned such cars are still on the road.
"These cars should absolutely not be sold or purchased without the repairs being done," DeGette told Sallinger.
She met Monday with groups that have a stake in the recall issue.
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"When there's been a problem clearly identified that is linked to injuries and fatalities, they need to get those cars off the road immediately, and it doesn't look like that's happening fast enough," Danny Katz with the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG) said.
The reason varies from people not getting recall notices or not paying attention.
On one Denver lot Sallinger found plenty of recalled cars available and nobody tried to hide the defect. The salesman offered reports clearly showing they had not been repaired.
To find out if a recalled car has been repaired potential buyers should write down the VIN number and call any GM dealership.
Get the entire recall story and the list of recalled vehicles from CBSNews.com.
