DETROIT – (CNNMoney) — General Motors is expanding its ignition switch recall to add 824,000 cars sold in the U.S. between 2008 and 2011, the company said Friday.
Until today the recall included the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, the Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and Saturn Ion and Sky through model year 2007.
Now the company is including all model years of those vehicles because about 90,000 faulty switches were used to repair vehicles.
The new recall adds to the 1.4 million vehicles already recalled in the United States.
In affected vehicles, the ignition can switch the car off while it is running, disabling the power steering and air bags. At least 12 deaths have been attributed to the issue. Although GM has recalled the vehicles, it has said they are still safe to drive if owners remove any extra weight from key rings.
“Trying to locate several thousand switches in a population of 2.2 million vehicles and distributed to thousands of retailers isn’t practical,” said CEO Mary Barra in statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling the rest of the model years,” she said.
Owners who may have had a suspect part installed in their cars will receive a letter the week of April 21, according to the company. GM dealers will replace the ignition switch for free and customers who had paid to have the switch replaced previously will be eligible for a reimbursement.
