Canadian law suits filed against GM in wake of defective ignition switches

TORONTO – A Canadian class-action law firm is going after General Motors for the automaker’s handling of defective ignition switches in 1.6 million small cars worldwide, including about 235,000 cars sold in this country.

The firm seeks to represent and compensate people across Canada for defects in various models of small cars with the defective switch, used between about 2003 and 2007.

Merchant Law Group LLP says it filed claims against the Detroit-based auto maker on Wednesday in Ontario and Quebec courts.

GM announced last month that ignition switches in older models of the Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5s, Saturn Ion, Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky need to be repaired.

Those are the vehicles that form the basis of the Canadian suit against General Motors.

The new head of GM apologized earlier this week saying the company took too long to notify owners about the needed repairs. The company has acknowledged it learned about the problem switches at least 11 years ago, yet it failed to recall the cars until last month.

Chief executive Mary Barra, who took the leadership role in mid-January, said the company takes responsibility for mishandling the defect and would do what’s right for customers. GM also announced it was hiring a new head of global safety.

Barra stopped short of saying the company would compensate families killed in crashes caused by faulty ignition switches. That number is likely to rise above the 12 currently cited by the company as GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review accident reports and consumer complaints.

“I am very sorry for the loss of life that occurred, and we will take every step to make sure this never happens again,” Barra said on Tuesday.

An internal investigation is underway and will take about seven months to complete. In the meantime, the company has not contacted the families, she said.

On Monday, GM issued a new recall of 1.5 million larger vehicles, including 70,437 in Canada, because their side air bags, front centre air bags and seat belts may not work properly if drivers ignore a warning light on their dashboard.

– With files from The Associated Press