Rep. Blackburn Gets An Answer And An Admission In GM Ignition Switch Hearing

In her opening remarks, Blackburn pointed out that the problematic switch was first used in a vehicle made at GM’s plant in Spring Hill, the Saturn Ion. Credit: Congressman Blackburn’s official photo

In Congressional Hearing Tuesday, Brentwood Republican Marsha Blackburn tried to pin down just when General Motors executives knew about problems with a faulty ignition switch. The flawed device has been blamed for dozens of fatal wrecks.

CEO Mary Barra’s testimony was a careful attempt to avoid answering most every question, repeatedly referring instead to an ongoing internal investigation being run by former US attorney Anton Valukis.

Blackburn did get one specific: the date earlier this year when Barra says she first heard about ignition switch problems. That’s roughly a decade after designers of the Saturn Ion first noticed the switch didn’t work quite right and eight years after engineers changed the part’s design.

So Blackburn asked Barra why there was such a long delay before the company’s management understood the problem and approved a recall.

Blackburn: Do you think there was a coverup or it was sloppy work?

Barra: That is the question I’ve asked Mr. Valukis to uncover and I’m anxiously awaiting the results from his study.

Barra admitted to Blackburn that the company should have at least changed the part number when the switch was tweaked, so that it would be more clear now which version is installed in any given car.