Back in February, General Motors announced a recall totaling 1.37 million vehicles over faulty ignition switches. The expansion of that recall prompted GM to conduct an internal safety review, resulting in three new and unrelated recalls affecting 3.54 million vehicles in mid-March. That second set of recalls was accompanied by a video of GM CEO Mary Barra explaining the state of the recalls and underline the company’s commitment to fix the vehicles. And all of that was followed by the creation of the new global safety chief position within GM.
Keeping in mind that one of the biggest threats for GM surrounding the ignition switch recall (in our book) involves notable harm to the automaker’s public image (as consumers could begin to doubt the quality of The General’s vehicles), how would you rate The General’s handling of the recalls?
Vote in the poll, and sound off in the comments section below.
Comments
It doesn’t matter cuz in a year or so this will all be forgotten! Don’t believe me do people still talk about Toyota crap?
Do people remember the tire problem Ford had? No!
It will pass
The difference here, though, is that GM is being watched like a hawk due to a few circumstances:
1. Bailout/government involvement, leading to the conspiracy theorists suggesting that NHTSA hid the results on purpose since it was in the government’s best interests (obvious a BS theory)
2. New CEO, which itself sets some precedents
3. New President
4. New Chairman
5. Government divestiture, raising questions from media pundits about whether GM can “stand on its own again” (also a BS question).
So while it might not matter in the very long run (10+ years), I’d argue that it does matter in the political/media sphere quite a bit, which can influence sales, and in turn, financial performance.
Pretty sure everyone remembers all of those things.
Look at it this way, GM handled the problem better than Toyota did their in intended acceleration issue.
I dont think Toyota took a decade to recall their vehicles. This is looking really bad for GM. Im a GM fanatic and its getting really hard and tiring to keep defending them in the workplace, with friends and family. Alot of people I know hate GM with a passion and this is like fuel to the fire. I was very critical of Toyota with the whole unintended acceleration fiasco. So now I have to be very critical of GM. People died! They f#cked up bad!
Keep in mind that this was Old GM’s mistake. New GM issued these new recalls because they care very much so about their customers! Yes, people lost their lives and even though we all feel very bad for the families affected, it is a part of life. Everyday is a risk of your life! Mary Barra’s new video concerning the recalls says it all: a company who wants nothing but the best for their customers! At least New GM has the guts to blame themselves on these recalls instead of blaming it on “the floor mats”.
EvanG, can you clarify what you mean by “blaming it on the floor mats?”
First of all, the Toyota stuck accelerator issue has been a decade long issue and it has caused the death of 89 people, over 7 times what GM’s ignition problem has caused.
There were reports for quite a few years of acceleration issues on Toyota cars but it was only after the NHTSA forced Toyota to investigate that Toyota determined it was the floor mats sliding up under the accelerator and causing the accelerator to stick. So Toyota did a recall to install floor mat anchors/hooks.
But we all know how that ended up as they were forced once again to investigate as the floor mat fix did not fix the issue. The second go around Toyota decided it as a faulty accelerator pedal and that was recalled and fixed. At this time, the issue was put to bed by Toyota.
The only issue is that the problem still exists. There are many cars where owners are still reporting acceleration sticking issues and Toyota is ignoring it as they “fixed” the issue. I know of one personally where the customer crashed through their garage door and halfway through the back wall of their garage after going through a workbench before she could shut the car off to stop it. Toyota is blaming driver error so the insurance company is now increasing the customer’s premiums do to the accident being their fault.
The real issue is the vehicle’s programming, but Toyota couldn’t find the issue within the programming. Acknowledging the issue was programming would require their computer programmers to start over at the beginning and redesigning the entire program. This would take months/couple years to create, test, etc before they could even roll out a fix. Overall it would cost billions of dollars on top of what they already spent on bogus fixes.
So Toyota basically shoved the issue under the rug.
Ok thanks for keeping me up to date on toyota’s mishandled unintended acceleration issue.
Unintended? Toyota had reports coming in back in 2001 about the issue (even though the safety boards only made them recall vehicles starting with 2004 production) but only dealt with it in 2009 after being forced to. Even now they haven’t truly fixed the issue as cars are still having the issues. So how is that unintentional?
The stuck throttle issue is a joke and it should be driver error! If the throttle is sticking then yes it needs to be fixed but if it leads to a accident then it’s driver error!
Don’t people realize that if the throttle sticks you can one pull the emergency brake or better yet shut the key off!
Are people not taught how to deal with these problems if they come up?
In the case of the person who drove threw their garage, that person should have to pay higher rates cuz it was their fault for not knowing what to do when the throttle sticks! If she would of just turned the key off the car would of died problem solved!
Really Brian? Its the customer’s fault? So you pull into a driveway and 10 feet before your garage door the car decides to go full throttle. So you are claiming you could not only shut the car off or pull the e-brake but also get the car to come to a complete stop in 10 feet? (Not to mention taking a second to mentally realize what’s going on).
Yeah, right.
If someone is on the freeway and traveling with traffic, yes, it takes a few seconds to catch the car in front of you, so you have a few seconds to react. But when you have 1 second between you and a parked car at a red light, even you, the Almighty Brian, couldn’t avoid that accident.
This happened to me the throttle stuck I reach down turned the key off! Problem solved!
There is a thing called failure to control your vehicle!
So that person’s rates should go up!
You are right in your assessment of me being the all mighty!
Not only could I deal with that situation, I have personally!
I have a 600 hp Chevy truck and the throttle stuck in the same fashion, I just reached down turned the key off slammed on the break problem solved!
So yes a person can stop a car if the throttle sticks!
You got anything else? The all might Brian would like to know!
You are an idiot. You stopped a 600HP vehicle that went full throttle in 10 feet like this lady had between her and her garage door? You lie my friend. The laws of physics say so.
Look everyone, its Brian, the Almighty idiot.
Hey all mighty hater!
I was not the only person in the truck!
Hint there were wittiness that saw it unfold like I said!
Extraordinary people do amazing things when you put your mind to it!
I guess people like you have a hard time with that concept!
What else do you have?
Of all the automotive or tech sites that i visit, there is more negitive posts toward GM here.
DOES SOMEONE HAVE A BONE TO PICK?
Your web address is just a web address!
At GM there were those who were the problem and there were those who were not part of the problem as noted by Bob Lutz and he has stated clearly Mary is going to do fine as she olds all the needed skills to deal with the issues at hand. He also stated she was not one of those who were the problem.
She also sends a signal that the GM culture has changed and is still changing.
As for issues to be fair I take a lot of what is in the media with a grain of salt as often they make a bigger issue of things than they really are. Take the unintended acceleration of the Audi was just a trumped up case. CBS tried to make GM trucks out to be fire traps but to get one to catch fire they had to use a model rocket engine to spark the fire when they could not reproduce the issue. Even the government back then said there was not call for a recall.
The truth is cars have issues and it is not always clear the cause or the results in many cases. In the ignition case the number of deaths are not reported well and small in numbers. Much smaller than many want you to believe.
Generally an ignition is not a direct cause of a death. The fact is only a small percentage of the 1.4 million cars have had an stalling issue. Of the small percentage have these cars a even smaller percentage resulted in deaths. Add to this the dysfunction with in old GM thing may have easily not even been covered up as the old way of doing thing they could not even figure out why they were losing market share.
At this point those who were there are mostly gone. The old GM is gone and now it is up to new GM to deal with it. As of now Mary has been proactive and visible in improving the system. All the cars are set to be repaired. The media will milk this till no one cares and that will be soon.
Just today the government responded to the Toyota issues and I bet most people forgot already and many do not care.
The real issue here is GM is working to rebuild it’s image and it has set this back with some but if they continue their run with good new product it will be forgotten.
The key here is GM is dealing with this head on and not trying to play it off or fight the government as Jeep did recently.
But going forward there are some absolutes we all must understand. One cars will have issues. Two people will die in cars with issues. Three all models will have these issues and how they deal with is will be how it is remembered.
Every car company has killed people and in many cases much more than what we have seen here. Death is never good but it Is part of having anything mechanized brings. Nothing is fool proof.
No excuses and no over inflating this issue as it just needs dealt with and move on.
Anyone who wants to make a big deal about GM or any other MFG deaths you may apply that outrage to drunk drivers and distracted drivers as it kills many more and in many cases much more criminal in nature but where are the headlines there?
Deaths are never acceptable but you still have to keep things in perspective too. The odds of dying in one of these cars is more remote than many other ways.
I hear what youre saying and knowledgeable car guys know better, but the average person just watches the news and knows nothing else. All they know is that GM got bailed out by taxpayers and now their cars are killing the taxpayer. All they know is that GM knew about this issue a decade ago and did nothing. Old GM new GM the average person doesnt know or could careless, its still GM. The media of course spins it the way they want to which is usually negative. I do like the way Barra is handling it so far, hoping for a quick resolution and hopefully it doesnt hurt sales too much.
The fact that someone died is irrelevant to me! What bothers me the most is that know one puts any of the blame on the driver for not being able to control their car when the power went dead! (See what I did there)
Just because the engine shuts off doesn’t mean you can’t get your car to the side of the road!
But you can’t go after the victim, why can’t you?
Chevyman you are correct people are ignorant on most things anymore and If they and if they read and hear something fully disclosed or not they often do not care if they have all the info.
That is why Mary has to get out in front of this and lead. That is important not only for image but the future. All automakers often have waited for the Government to force a recall. Of recent Chrysler had a fight with the government over jeep fuel tanks and the Media let them have it.
If companies are more proactive the better off they will be all the way around. It will be interesting to see the new GM system in action and how well it functions.
As for blaming the victim. It is not so much a case of blaming the victim but a case where they had a part in this at time. The initial issue was a failed ignition but also the actions of the driver can determine the life and death in most cases. some folks handle situations better than others. Now in some cases they may have not had any options but this is what no one knows as in most cases the details are not clear. Even the fact if they had a seat belt on or not may have been a difference of a fender bender or death. So I do not hold GM totally blameless but at time people have to be share responsibility for the out come of a bad situation.
It is kind of like blaming the cigarettes for cancer but who put it in their mouth to start with? There is a shared responsibility here also.
Then their is the total number of issues. Even at the worst case the false number in the media the number was very low and would not have stood out in the big picture. Even the government did not see this one.
Any death is not acceptable but it is going to happen. The key in anything to keep the number as low as possible.
Brian, I see someone blocked the “reply” button on your last response. Wonder why?
I’m not an Almighty hater; actually I find it increasingly comedic that the more you type, the faster you are making yourself look like an idiot.
Claim all you want but the laws of physics say it is impossible to stop a 6000 lbs moving vehicle stuck at full acceleration in 10 feet, and anyone over the age of 10 knows that (unless you hit a solid concrete wall perhaps — that would explain a lot of things about you though LOL). Physics state is it impossible to stop a 6000 lbs moving vehicle under acceleration doing 30 mph in 10 feet. Again, you are making yourself look foolish Brian.
No doubt you are on this forum to stir things up. Fortunately for us we can all sit back and laugh at you.
Keep the responses coming; we all need a good laugh .
No where did I say the truck went to 30 mph I simply said the truck throttle stuck why open and I turned the key off!
What’s so hard to understand!
You make assumptions!
Like I said I wasn’t the only one in the truck!
Oh, so you were comparing your nearly standing still vehicle that was barely moving to people who are driving at freeway speeds or people who are actually moving? Nice comparison Brian. The lady I mentioned in my example was actually moving Brian when her throttle stuck wide open. Again, physics prove there was no way to stop her car in that distance of 10 feet, her lawyers who are going after Toyota proved that. Argue all you want.
Above you degrade people who don’t know what to do when a throttle sticks wide open asking “aren’t they taught what to do?” Actually Brian, no, people are not taught what to do. No where in a driver’s training course is there anything about stopping a vehicle stuck under acceleration. I grew up on a farm and have been driving large trucks since I was 10 years old and I’ve had throttles stick on me. Fortunately my father taught me what to do (I was 11 when it happened the first time). Other people don’t learn that in driver training or have people around them that have had that happen and know what to do.
Plus this lady in my example was 74 years old. There wasn’t even driver training when she got her license. Up until this incident, she has had a perfect driving record too.
So don’t go degrading people who’s situation you know nothing about; again it makes you look like a fool.
But keep them coming; it’s actually quite funny to read what your thoughts are.
I don’t care how old she was, don’t care when she got her license, don’t care if she doesn’t know what to do, that’s a you problem not a me problem!
The fact of the matter is that you are required to control your vehicle at all times!
This is something I’m sure she was taught when she started driving!
I can say that a person should be able to control their cars!
I’m not the kind of person that cries a river when something bad happens to someone when it’s their own fault!
As for the lawyers they can make a argument about anything in court! If there wasn’t any money attached to the lawsuit then those lawyers wouldn’t even care so why should I!
Hell I even think what happened to that old lady is down right funny! Does anyone have any video footage? That would be a riot to watch!
Wow, your parents must be so embarrassed. Did they drop you down the stairs regularly as a child? Either that or your home town had a very small gene pool. (I’m banking on the second one)
Yes, a driver should be in control of their vehicles; as long as the vehicle is working properly. When something goes wrong, there is a reaction time required to process what went wrong and how to react. You think the way you do now, but if a family member of yours had it happen and didn’t react fast enough to avoid a serious accident, you’d be first in line to blame the manufacturer. I deal with “it’s all about me” guys like you everyday and I actually feel sad for you.
By the way, when she got her license in the 1950’s, you walked in, took a quick drive with a license issuer, paid your fee and got your license. There was no instruction.
On as side note, you mentioned you had witnesses in the truck; I’m amazed with your attitude towards others, you actually had other people with you.
Again, you’re only on here to stir the pot; sad really.
I think it hilarious when people argue on the internet. Dpach got you on this one Brian.
Why because I don’t ball my eyes out over some poor old lady that can’t figure out how and when to shut the car off!
I would unleash on the guy if it wasn’t for the people who run this site telling me I am not allowed to do so anymore! Apparently you guys didn’t get the memo!
But if you would like to know my true unfiltered thoughts on this subject and what I really think about you then just send me a email!
[email protected]
Brian, please try to out wit me as that would be like an amateur trying to play with the pro’s. Sounds like you do this all the time on this site if you’ve been warned before. That’s why everyone laughs at you and knows you are an idiot. Every forum has them and you are gmauthorities’s I guess. Mind you, a too small of gene pool will do that every time. See you on the next story; I am sure you will be there.
Nothing wrong with a little debate but the problem with arguing with an idiot is that they try to bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience. LOL
See guys like you take the moral high ground when facts are put in your face! The fact that I’m not afraid to call out the victims and hold them responsible for things they did wrong!
You on the other hand say what most people want to hear out of fear that there just might be other people that don’t like you or your opinion!
Men use to not worry about what others thought, they just spoke their own mind! So go on supporting the lesser people who are looking for hand outs! Victim’s that aren’t really victims, just people that didn’t or couldn’t make the right choice when it mattered most!
If this accident didn’t get them then darwins theory will! It’s sad that we as a nation keep around less productive, less intelligent, and the less brave as yourself!
You don’t know me, you may not like me but at least I don’t hide behind lawyers trying to get a hand out!
Actually we aren’t hiding behind anything Brian. And you really shouldn’t be talking about Darwin’s theory as you really aren’t a shining example of it. You think like people did in the 50’s and 60’s and you have proven that not all people evolve.
I wasn’t the one who drove threw a garage now was I? I’m not the one the supports a person that can’t make decisions on their own! Thinking like people in the 50’s when men were men, they fought their own battles, protected their own families, repaired things on their own!
If you think today’s men are better then they were 50 years ago then think again, men today are so soft and gentle! Men don’t grow up and dream of fighting in the war for our country, they run, hide, and find reasons not to go!
I know that I’m highly intelligent and think on a level you could only dream of, toying with people below me brings me lots of pleasure!
You are a sheep, being lead around told what to think and say in order to make sure you don’t offend people so that you can sleep at night knowing your friends keep increasing because you couldn’t stand to have someone not like you!
Remember I did not make this personal, I can make it as personal as you want! I gave you my info but you still want to do this on here when you know we both are limited to what we can say!
Who’s hiding now!
By the way did you find any video of that old lady?
The problem with people stuck with the mentality of men in the 50’s and 60’s is that they want to fight their own battles, as you say. The key word is fight. That’s all you do want to do; stir the pot and toy with people. People like you who put themselves on a pedestal and believe they are above others only do so because no one else gives them any gratification or respect so they believe making themselves appear to be better than others will earn respect. Guess what, it doesn’t. It makes you look like a fool.
I’m not being lead around like a sheep. In fact, you are on here trying to act like an bully, like it is funny someone had an accident, people dying in accidents caused by malfunctioning vehicles is their own faults for stupidity, etc. And I’m not taking your bullying, am I ?
The unfortunate thing is that intellectually superior people who have evolved passed the Neanderthal way of thinking where everything is a fight to the death, have to stop trying to help people like you evolve because as Darwin’s theory states, it won’t happen.
If most people today are taking a more peaceful path and work together to find solutions (versus fighting stand alone battles and wars, etc) and Darwin’s theory says that only the more evolved people will survive, that doesn’t speak well for your bread of people (who are now a dwindling minority), now does it?
By the way, I’m not afraid to offend someone; I’m offending you and your self-envisioned level of so-called superiority. I couldn’t give a rat’s butt who likes me and who doesn’t.
As far as you not making this personal; you insulted the lady in my example who is the mother of my best friend. You insulted all the people who have died in automobiles which have malfunctioned; that makes it personal because I’ve also had someone in my family die because the electronic power steering in his car suddenly went haywire and pulled his car into the oncoming lane where he went head on with another car. His wife was in the car and after she recovered she confirmed the car just suddenly pulled hard to the left and that cranking the steering wheel hard to the right couldn’t correct it fast enough. Investigation of the accident confirmed the electronic steer module on one side of the steering post malfunctioned.
So yes, you made this personal. Whenever you insult someone, you make it personal.
As I stated above, its tough to fight an idiot because they try to bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience. Your problem is that your experience just isn’t good enough.
I’m sorry for your loss, but if you look around the world we are all better off because of it! The only problem with your loss is that we have to hear people like tell the story over and over again! I bet you tell this story to anybody that will listen enough already!
Your theory on darwin is funny because you think my time is running out but some of your loved ones have already kicked the bucket! In your way of thinking they must be lower on the totem pole then me!
Hey none of my family members have been stupid enough to die while not being able to control their car!
None of my family has drove threw a garage!
Again if you think I’m a dumb person the what does that say about your family?
You can’t compete with me!
So the world is better off because a member of my family died because his car’s steering went and within a second took him into the path of an oncoming car (something neither him or YOU could avoid when you have no steering)?
You are a very sick individual Brian. Did your parents have you checked psychologically? You think like a 20 year old punk who attitude is “me against the world” and it is really really sad.
Darwin’s theory had nothing to do with an automobile that was NOT CONTROLLABLE with 100% loss of steering. Not even a self-proclaimed pedestal placer like you could have done anything. And if you say you could have, it just shows your stupidity.
The only people that know about that is my family and close friends who were there. That is why I did not mention it earlier. Now you are assuming things, aren’t you Brian.
I am assuming none of your family have died not being able to control an automobile because your family hasn’t been driving that long, seeing how they likely just started walking upright. You think like a Neanderthal. I am amazed you can lift your knuckles off the floor high enough to reach a computer keyboard, actually.
By the way, you are right; no one can compete with you on the bottom rung of evolution where you stand; there’s not that many people left in this world who missed the evolution train. I wouldn’t even call you ignorant because you can educate ignorant people and change them. You problem is you are stupid, and you can’t fix stupid.
You may think my family is stupid but remember my family is not dropping like flys!
Think about what you are saying I’m not as evolved as the members of your family but I’m still here and they are not!
Darwin suggest that only the smartest will survive! Where does that put you and your loved ones!
By the way I’m not crazy my mother had me test a long time ago and wouldn’t you know it the scores were pretty god dam high!
Like I said in the beginning of all of this, I don’t think GM should be responsible for these accidents!
You may have a negative image of me but remember if you then what do you think about your family because they are lower on the chain then me!
I hope GM keeps all their money and gives these people nothing! Because that’s what they deserve!
I stand corrected, send them a ignition in a box that says belated! Oh yea and put a smiley
face sticker on it for good will to let them know we really care!
You got anything else?
Oh by the way my knuckles are doing just fine!
It’s called “corporate responsibility.”
It’s called “the federal government said so.”
It’s called “people weren’t told not to buy these cars for 10 years because of this issue because GM and the NHTSA dragged their heels.”
How you can say GM isn’t at fault is completely delusional. Step away from your shrine .
The fact your mother had to have you tested doesn’t speak for volumes of intelligence Brian, otherwise why would she bother having you tested. They test children because they aren’t keeping up with the average population. You can put any spin on you want to help yourself deal with it, I don’t really give a crap.
You’ve only proven two things, first is that you can put a spin on what others say in order to sound intelligent; the problem is that evolved people see through that and that is why no one on here gives you the time of day and why moderators had to warn you about your postings. The fact you rationalize that an uncontrollable vehicle which caused the death of someone is actually related to Darwin’s theory shows you cannot mentally process between what is rational and what is not. Now we know why your mother had you tested. Poor lady. I feel sorry for her.
Stupidity has nothing to do with an uncontrollable vehicle. Stupidity is actually thinking that Darwin’s theory controls these situations. Darwin’s theory about “smart” people surviving is based on the decisions the people make, not what mechanical device goes haywire and puts them in an uncontrollable situation. But as I said before, you can’t fix stupid; you will always be this way and thank god evolution will weed you out.
Second is that your self-imposed pedicel placing shows your fear of not being accepted by others. Your bashing against the norm is your way of crying for help. You need to stand out in the crowd. Unfortunately when no one gives you attention, you bash out. You need to sound superior to others in order to think you actually are intelligent. Kind of sad really. In the end, you will always have to have the last word so in your mind, you win. When in fact, every time you post, others get to see how desperately you need to.
In the end, the rest of the world wins because like the Neanderthals before you, evolution will weed you out. Cheers!
Brian’s been banned.
This whole deal was just the perfect storm of issues.
GM screwed up and we will at some point hear how as with the audit being done will point out the breakdowns and issues involved. As messed up as GM was inside in this era I would not be surprised to hear that many just did not pass the information on as no one wanted to deliver the bad news or be the guy who reported it. I have seen this in so many companies and it cost them in other cases so much time and money.
Second to keep this in perspective as the death rate here is much lower than many other recall issues accidents per million cars. It does not excuse GM but to be honest the Media has played this up much more because it was GM is my feeling.
The Government has stated they did not see any issues. I think because of the low number of deaths per million it did not stand out and they never dug deeper. So they are on the line here too with some people.
The important thing at this point it appears the new GM is doing things better in dealing with this. Mary walked into a tough first test here and so far they are doing it right.
1 They will fix all the cars.
2 They met this head on and are being proactive in the investigation by using an outside firm to dig into this vs. trying to bury it.
3 They have a new director to oversee the issues and recall in all future issues.
4 Mary will go to Washington and face the questions in person.
5 It goes with out saying they will deal with the families in the legal cases. I know it will not bring them back but they will at least settle with them.
6 GM will pay fines and face the government in the end of all this much as Toyota. Now I do not expect the fines to be as high but GM will pay much in the end.
The truth is I see this as having some good in the end as I believe this will make GM a more responsive and responsible company that will pay off for everyone in the long run. These issues would have been gotten too at some point but it just got bumped up because of this. GM has so many things still to sort out and this will be one less and will improve things.
I do know that some what GM to come out and publically apologies. Well that is not going to happen. I am sure Mary wanted to do this first thing as any rational person would but the fact is legally GM will be limited to what they can say about this as anything they say can be used against them. The settlements will be handled well and the families will receive a generous deal if there is such a thing in this case. But what GM will save is the many no legit legal cases that are filed by lawyers just looking for GM to settle even if there is not a real case. Many companies it is cheaper to settle than fight and many times people and mostly lawyers collect for things that are not what I would call legit. Class actions are classic for this as the lawyers take all the settlement for their services and the people they so called represented get a free oil change or discount on their next car for $100.
I just hope and wish that people keep this whole deal in perspective. I do believe that no one did this to intentionally kill anyone. As for the deaths they are sad but you can not change what has happened and only prevent it from happening again. I see that in the works now.
As for numbers based on the number of cars and deaths GM was lucky it was not as bad as it could have been. There are many other recalls that have had more deaths per million.
I wish the media and all other parties would be a little better In dealing with this. At times I believe there are some agendas in play with some here outside real care for what really happened.
It will prove to be interesting to see just how this plays out. I expect the public will forget about it soon as it was not a car that has even been built recently. Most present owners are in some pretty good new cars and really do not care. The haters of GM will hate no matter what.
The key in the end will be how GM handles these issues from this point forward. They have a great chance to prove themselves here and I think the people in charge now will do so.
If you have not read Lutz book Car Guys VS. Bean Counters I would recommend it as it gives you a small snap shot of how messed up GM was and how reporting in side GM was a mess.
Case in point the time Bob asked why GM could not build cars with panel gaps like everyone else. The response was we can just no one told us to do it. If they were that messed up in building the car how do you think the communication was in reporting issues to management or management to the board. I suspect someone some group just hoped this would pass un noticed. This is not the first time it has happened at GM or the companies. It is called playing the numbers or odds.
At least GM did not act like Toyota or like Jeep on the fuel tanks.