Nxxx,2014-04-01,A,001,Bs-BK,E2ple
CMYK
Chinese Billionaire on Trial
The murder and corruption
trial of Liu Han is said to be
linked to efforts to investigate a
former top official. Page A7.
VOL. CLXIII . . . No. 56,458
© 2014 The New York Times
signing up for health care
would be “significantly above six
million,” and he reminded jourLate Edition
nalists of the predictions of doom
Today, sun and clouds, milder with
less wind, high 58. Tonight, partly
when HealthCare.gov crashed
converg
cloudy, lowCrowds
42. Tomorrow, cloudy,
a
couple of showers possible, high 60.
Weather
map
appears
on
Page
B14.
Calif., top, New Y
Continued on Page A14
$2.50
NEW YORK, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014
LEADER OF CHINA On Final Day,
AIMS AT MILITARY Health Signups
Reach Frenzy
WITH GRAFT CASE
U.S. IS WEIGHING
RELEASE OF A SPY
FOR THE ISRAELIS
Cobalts Were Seen as Lemons An 8th G
From Start, State Data Shows
Volume on the Website
GENERAL FACES CHARGES Causes More Snags
Crackdown by President
Is Seen as Attempt to
Gather Power
L
By ROBERT PEAR
By VIVIAN
ATTEMPT TO SAVE TALKS
Kahton
Freeing of Pollard
CouldAnderso
Help status
Discussionssymbols
on
a
Mideast
his Peace
world could w
By DANIELLE IVORY and REBECCA R. RUIZ
By DANIELLE IVORY and REBECCA R. RUIZ
WASHINGTON — A frenzied
last-minute scramble to sign up
for health insurance overloaded
phone lines and temporarily
overwhelmed the website of the
federal marketplace on Monday,
as hundreds of thousands of people around the country raced to
beat the deadline to obtain coverage under the Affordable Care
Act.
Administration officials, stepping up the push for enrollment
in the final hours, said they were
confident that they would reach
their original goal of having seven million people sign up for private health plans through federal
and state exchanges. But the end
of the open enrollment period,
which began six months ago with
the disastrous debut of the federal website, starts a new phase
likely to be defined by the economics of health insurance as
well as by politics.
Though HealthCare.gov, the
federal website, performed markedly better on Monday than on
the day it opened, many consumers still struggled to enroll. The
site unexpectedly stopped taking
applications for several hours
early Monday because of a software problem discovered during
scheduled maintenance overnight, said Aaron Albright, a
spokesman at the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services,
the agency running the site. For
at least an hour at midday, the
site again thwarted people trying
to create accounts so they could
buy insurance online.
“We are experiencing record
volume on HealthCare.gov, with
three million visits as of 8 p.m.
and approximately 125,000 concurrent users at the peak” on
Monday, Mr. Albright said. “As of
8 p.m., we had received one million calls to the call center.”
At the White House, officials
embarked on a kind of victory
lap. Jay Carney, the press secretary, said that the number of people signing up for health care
would be “significantly above six
million,” and he reminded journalists of the predictions of doom
when HealthCare.gov crashed
Continued on Page A14
ong before the Chevrolet Cobalt became
alarmed by the early number of buybacks, acLong before the Chevrolet Co- gine issues, air-conditioning is- dans and Reeboks
Byregulators,
MARK LANDLER
known for having a deadly ignition defect,
cording
to a G.M.
filing with
federal
and MICHAEL R. GORDON
sues,” James
Gonzales
of RiverBEIJING — Prosecutors ac- balt became known for having a
new
pair every
it was
already seen as a lemon. Owners
that
brand
quality
division
cused a former senior
military ofWASHINGTON
— The Obama
view,the
Fla.,automaker’s
said of his 2006
Cobalt,
ficial on Monday of a litany of deadly ignition defect, it was aladministration is discussing the
sports cloth
crimes,
including bribery, embezrelease
of brand
an American convicted
complained
about power steering failures, locks
urged
engineers
to reopen
an
investigation
zlement and abuse of power, pre- ready seen as a lemon. Owners
which its
G.M.
repurchased
under
of spying for Israel more than a
Station
4.
senting
a
first
glimpse
of
what
quarter
of
a
century
ago,
Ameriinexplicably opening and closing, doors jamming
into
the car’s
faulty
switch,
which was
could be the biggest corruption complained about power steering
can officials said Monday, as it
Florida’s
lemon
law.ignition
“Everything
scandal to ever engulf the Chistruggles to avert
a collapse
in
And,
lately,
a silv
in the rainfailures,
— even windows
falling out. open- one
buyback
complaints.
neseshut
armed forces.
peace talks between Israel and
locks inexplicably
wentsource
wrongofwith
that car,
and evThe charges against the officer,
the Palestinians.
er.
In more
than
Motors
“It’s athat
vehicle
a poor
track
withhas
Lt. Gen. Gu Junshan,
are the outThe record,
Israeli government
ing 120
andinstances,
closing, General
doors jamming
erything
wentwith
wrong
needed
come of a far-reaching inquiry
long sought the release of the
The
gun flashe
under
President
Xi
Jinping
that
was forced under state lemon laws to buy back deep
Jonathan J. Pollard, a former
about its safety
andspy,
a bigconcerns
fix. Mechanically,
it was
aperformance,”
signaled his determination to shut in the rain — even windows
Navy
intelligence analyst, who is
makefaulty
high-profileCobalts,
examples out pay settlements to owners or let
rush
hour
serving of
a lifethe
sentence
in a North on the
said
Rick
Soletski, executive director
Interof dishonest military figures. His falling out.
huge
nuisance.”
Carolina prison for passing clasgoal, military analysts said, is to
sified documents
to his Israeli
ing from
Clinton H
them
trade
in theIncars,
an analysis
The New
national
Association
of Lemon
Law
Administratransform
a service
larded with
more
than 120by instances,
handlers. But the United States
General
Motors declined
to dispet projects and patronage nethas steadfastly
refused, in part
Stuyvesant,
in B
Times
of General
state databases
records
York
group
of American
andbeen
Canadian
officials
works
into a leaner
fighting force
because of the vehement
opposiMotorsand
wascourt
forced
under tors,
closeahow
many
Cobalts had
more adept at projecting power
tion of the nation’s intelligence
Kahton fired to
abroad
and buttressing
shows.
Theparty
buybacks
came as
dozens
of claims
actsback
as an under
advocate
for lemon
programs.
agencies.
state lemon
laws
to buy
back that
bought
lemon
laws,
rule at home, while strengthenNow, however, freeing Mr. Polteenager,
the polic
ing his
own
authority
over
the
lardfailure
is again
on theto
table,
as Secwere filed separately
at G.M.pay
from
2005 to 2009
The “It
flawed
switch,
and G.M.’s
corfaulty Cobalts,
settlements
to saying,
army.
is very
difficult
to anretary of State John Kerry arThe announcement of the case
striking
a 39-yearrived
Jerusalem
on Monday
that
fitGu,a made
specific
pattern
cars, somefor more than
a decade,
bein the
focus
of
or —
letmoving
them trade
in the rect
against
General
by owners
sweritquestions
about
claims will
that
for urgent talks to try to resolve a
Xinhua, the official news agency,
dispute over
Israel’s
release of The ma
way
home.
traveling
at high
suddenly
congressional
hearing
on Tuesday,
when
Mary
cametimes
two years after
he was qui- cars,
an speeds,
analysiswould
by The
New amay
Palestinian
prisoners.
That disbe more than
a decade
old.”
etly dismissed as deputy chief of
pute is the
latest Though
roadblock to
ter.
Kahto
the stop
General working.
Logistics Depart- York Times of state databases
T.
Barra,
the
G.M.
chief,
and
David
J.
Friedman,
high-stakes
peace talks that beThat
makes
it
impossible
to
calment, and provided no details.
gan last summer but appear to
But an internal
inquiry
has
ac“There were
issues
have made little Traffic
progress and
National total
Highway
of the
and transmission
court recordsissues,
shows.
The acting
culate ahead
precise
nationwide
cused him of presiding over a
now face an April 29 deadline.
vast land development racket
No
decision
has
been
made yet
buybacks
came
as
dozens
of
the clutch,
engine issues, air-conditioning Safety
Administration,
scheduled
to testify.
that with
hoarded kickbacks,
bought
because
reporting andare
disclosure
on Mr. Pollard, said one official,
promotions, and enabled him and
who
asked
not
to
be
identified
were
filed separately
at rules
Gonzales
Fla., said
of Riverview,
issues,”
James
The
automaker
has linked
13
deaths to thebehis family
to amass dozens
of ex- claims
differ
from state
to state,
cause the person was discussing
pensive residences, including
private deliberations. A decision
G.M. from
2005
to 2009
that fit a defect
places
investigators
ofwherehis
2006foundCobalt,
which
G.M.
repurchased
in Cobalts
and several
and federal
regulators
do other
not
to releasemodels.
Mr. Pollard wouldIn
be in
stockpiles of high-end liquor, gold
the context of a broader agreebullion
and
cash,
according
to
specific
pattern
—
moving
cars,
under
Florida’s
lemon
law.
“Everything
went
her
prepared
remarks,
filed
with
House
invesment
to
extend
the
talks
between
compile such data.
people briefed on the investigathe Israelis and Palestinians, offition.
sometimes
traveling that
at went
high tigators
cials
said, “I
and cannot
would require
wrong
that
car, and everything
Monday,
Ms. Barra
said,
But inon
Florida,
a state
that colThe
investigationwith
into General
President Obama’s approval.
Gu, who had a commanding au- speeds,
would
suddenly
stop
But time and
politics have
wrong
needed
tell
why
took years for
a safety
defect
tocothority
over how resources
in the a big fix. Mechanically, it was a
lectsyou
data
on itrepurchased
lemons
alesced to make his release more
Continued on Page A7
plausible. Intelligence officials
working.
By
KIM SEV
huge nuisance.”
be
andannounced.”
some other buybacks, the Coare no longer likely to object as
fiercely to freeing Mr. Pollard,
“There
were
transmission
isGeneral
review
of the lemon
baltThe
wasTimes
the was
the most-repurwho islaw
59, saiddatabasto be ailing and eliChinese Billionaire
on TrialMotors declined to disclose how
CLEMSON,
S.C
gible for parole
in November
The murder and corruption sues, issues with the clutch, enes
showscar
theinCobalt
hadmanufacproblems
well
beyond
2015. And
his release
could prochased
its class
trial many
of Liu HanCobalts
is said to be had been bought back under lemsko
expected
a l
vide
the
Obama
administration
Crowds converged on Monday at clinics and social services offices in places like Commerce,
linked to efforts to investigate a
with a way
to coax additional
ontop official.
laws,
“It is very difficult
the
ignition
switch.
Complaints
from
buyers
in-posted a
former
Page saying,
A7.
tured
insign2005,
the
first
Calif., top,to
New answer
York, middle, and Miami,
above,
to
up for
health
insurance
beforeyear
midnight. the
when
concessions
from Israel he
as it pursues
peace accord,
questions about claims that may be more than
cluded
such bizarre
asa broader
the
engine
model went
on sale.occurrences
And in May
which Mr.banning
Kerry and Mr. Obama
concealed
have made a centerpiece of their
Regulator
Fault
a decade
old.”
That
it to
impossible
to cal- a Gun
running
the
At least Pub &
2005,
G.M.
was
sokey
alarmed
byremoved.
the
diplomacy.Backstreets
Cobalts
Were
Seen
asmakes
Lemons
An
8thG.M.
Grader,
and
aafter
Bus
Rider
inhad
thebeen
Way
Some analysts questioned the
culate a preciseThe
total because
re-is graduated
four
ofmiddle
theschool,
repurchased
cars
in acFlorida
were
early
number
ofNewbuybacks,
wisdom ofand
giving
upburger
onereof the
from
he East
York and
Brownsville,
bar i
topShows
auto safety
regulator
From
Start, State nationwide
Data
few
leverage points the United
was taller than the detective es- Brooklyn, violence is as thick as
By VIVIAN YEE
States has when
it is not clear it
porting and disclosure
rules
differ
from
state
sold
to
new
owners,
The
Times
found,
including
cording
to
a
G.M.
filing
with
fedsmog,
alliances
as
fluid
as
water,
corting
him
out
of
the
local
pretown, but he did no
set to tell CongressKahton
thatAnderson
his had
agenall the cinct house.
quarrels as big as the Internet. would gain more than an extenstatus
symbols
a 14-year-old in
much lessan
a fullThe
grievances
behind
their bul- sion in the talks,
By DANIELLE
IVORY
and REBECCA R.
RUIZ
With
Kahton
to be prosecuted
eral
regulators,
that
the
automakto state,
and
federal
regulators
do
not
compile
one
that
was
identified
as
potentially
having
come
a national
tar
cy
lacked
critical
information
on
blown agreement.
Mr. Pollard
is a
his world could want: Air Jorlets make sense only to them.
Long before the Chevrolet Co- gine issues, air-conditioning is- dans and Reeboks, sometimes a on murder charges as an adult
reviled
figure
in
intelligence
cirThe police say clashes
betweenis no law against
andignition
the victim, Angelswitch
Rojas, bur- problem.
data.
There
sues,” James Gonzales
of
Riverbalt such
became known
for having a defects
weeks, he
in G.M. cars.
Page
B1. NameContinued on Page B2
cles, seen as aWithin
prolific spy who
new pair
every month.
deadly ignition defect, it was al- view, Fla., said of his 2006 Cobalt, brand sports clothes. A new Play- ied by his family in the Domini- teenage crews, mini-gangs that betrayed his country and damcan Republic, New York City has grow out of blocks or housing
ready seen as
a lemon.
Owners
which G.M.
repurchased
under collects
But
in
Florida,
a
state
that
data
on
G.M.
spokesman,
reselling
lemons,
and
a
aged national security.Greg
Station 4.
projects,
now account
for 30 perbeen
left
to
wonder
how
what
the
complained about power steering Florida’s lemon law. “Everything
“I think it shows real desperAnd, lately, a silver .357 revolvwas a petty turf war cent of all shootings in the city.
failures,
locks inexplicably open-lemons
went wrong with
that car,
and ev- other buybacks, police
repurchased
and
some
A.saidMartin,
saidButthe
with
ation,” said Aaron David
Miller, a
most automaker
of the time, those “complies
er.
between
“crews” of children
ing and closing, doors jamming erything that went wrong needed
caught in the crossfire are rivals former Middle East negotiator
The
gun
flashed
recently
at
barely
into
their
teens
could
shut in the rain — even windows a big fix. Mechanically, it was a
and
now
a
vice
president
at the
and
friends,
other
combatants
in
the
the
was the most-repurchased
allsuchstate
lemon
rush hour on the B15 bus, cross- breed
random, deadly
vio- law requirements, including the
falling
out. Cobalt washuge
nuisance.”
struggle
for domi- Woodrow Wilson International
ing from Clinton Hill to Bedford- lence, particularly since
the mur- the ceaseless
BUSINESS
DAY
B1-11
In more than 120 instances,
General Motors declined to disCenter
for
Scholars.
20, the dead
Stuyvesant, in Brooklyn, when der resale
rate, especially
by nance. On March
car
inwasits
manufactured
of killings
repurchased
vehicles.”
General
Motors
forcedclass
under close
how many Cobalts had been in 2005, its first
“In an era of leaks and surveilman was an innocent bystander.
state lemon laws to buy back bought back under lemon laws, Kahton fired toward another strangers, has dropped so much
“I swear to God, I feel sorry lance and Snowden, the idea that
teenager,
the
police
said,
instead
in
recent
years.
faulty
Cobalts, pay settlements
G.M.
was
so
model
year. toAnd
inis very
May
Gwenda
Heaster
of a
Crawley,
Ronald
and
saying, “It
difficult 2005,
to anthe
administration
is going to
for”
Mr.
Rojas’s
family,
Kahton’s
striking a 39-year-old man on his
Book
Yet in the narrowWall
world these Street Abuzz Over
By JONATHAN ANSFIELD
owners or let them trade in the
cars, an analysis by The New
York Times of state databases
and court records shows. The
buybacks came as dozens of
swer questions about claims that
may be more than a decade old.”
That makes it impossible to calculate a precise nationwide total
because reporting and disclosure
LUCY NICHOLSON/REUTERS
ANDREW BURTON/GETTY IMAGES
Want Gu
JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES
way home. The man died soon after. Though Kahton had not yet
teenagers inhabit, in the poorest
patches of Bedford-Stuyvesant,
father, who gave his name only as
trade Jonathan Pollard makes
Continued on Page A20
Continued on Page A6
“Flash Boys,”
a critique of high-frequen-
Were Seen as Lemons From Start, State DataIf ItsShows
Pilots Go Out on Strike
investigation into the
ty ignition switch, which
source of buyback com-
BUSIN
The Ger
hansa w
The German flagship airline Luftstrike p
hansa warned on Monday that a
Lufthans
lots’ uni
strike planned by its largest pi-If
Its Pilo
bly be o
lots’ union this week would probaThe Germ
in its his
bly be one of the most disruptive
hansa wa
morepla
th
strike
in its history, threatening to affect
across
i
lots’
unio
more than 425,000 passengers
bly
be one
ditch
ne
across its global network. Lastin
its betw
hist
end
ditch negotiations over the weekmore than
ers of th
end between the airline and leadacross its
majority
ditch
neg
ers of the union representing the
lotsbetw
faile
majority of Lufthansa’s 5,500 pi-end
ers
of the
dispute
lots failed to resolve a protracted
majority
retirem
dispute over changes in pay and
lots
hasfailed
call
retirement benefits. The union dispute
o
beginni
has called for a three-day walkout
retiremen
ning
thr
has
called
beginning on Wednesday and runsaid
3,80
beginning
ning through Friday. The airline
thro—
flights
said 3,800 passenger and cargo ning
said
3,800
regular
flights — almost 90 percent of its
flights —
would b
regularly scheduled flights — regularly
period.
would
be
would be canceled over the strike
vehicle
ers
to re-with a poor track
into deep
the concerns about
with
which
ych,and
performance,” said
ack cometski, executive director
nternational
Association
oor track
n Law
rns
aboutAdministrators, a
nce,”
said
American
and Canadian
director
that
acts as an advocate
nsociation
programs.
trators, a
awed
switch, and G.M.’s
Canadian
correct it for more than
advocate
e, will be the focus of a
nd
G.M.’s
ional
hearing on Tuesmore
than T. Barra, the
en Mary
ocus of a
ef, and David J. Friedon Tuesing
arra, head
the of the National
J.Traffic
Fried- Safety AdminisNational
re
scheduled to testify.
Adminisutomaker
has linked 13
otestify.
the defect in Cobalts
inked 13
ral
other models. In her
Cobalts
dls. In
remarks,
filed with
her
period.
NICOLA CLARK
period.
AT&T
nvestigators
on Monday,
ed with
AT&T
to
aMonday,
said, “I cannot tell you
AT&T to Buy Back Its Stock As Inte
tok
tellyears
you for a safety deAs Intere
As Interest in Vodafone Wanes
AT&T s
afety deannounced.”
AT&T sai
boardhad
h
AT&T said on Monday that its board
mes
review of the lemon
he
lemon
chase
o
chase
of
u
bases
board had authorized the repurhe
Cobaltshows the Cobalt
or
abou
or
about
6
nd
the iglems
well beyond the igchase of up to 300 million shares,
JEFF SWENSEN
NEW
YORKTIMES
TIMES
shares
ouo
JEFF SWENSEN
FOR FOR
THETHE
NEW
YORK
nts fromComplaints from
shares
witch.
or about 6 percent of its total
Monday’s
zarre oc-25,
Heather
Heaster,
was aG.M.
teenager
when
her 2005
Cobalt
thismodel
2006
model
after
it inexplicably
lost
power.
Monday
ncluded
such
bizarre
oc- 25,
easter,
was
a teenager
when
replaced
her
2005
Cobalt
with
thiswith
2006
after
it
inexplicably
lost
power.
Heather
Heaster,
25,G.M.
wasreplaced
a teenager
when
replaced
her
2005
Cobalt
this
2006
model
after
it
JEFFG.M.
SWENSEN
FOR THE
NEW
YORK
TIMES
shareswith
outstanding.
Based
on telecomm
running
telecom
s
as
the
engine
running
Monday’s
stock
price
of
$35.07,
the
removed.
hen G.M. “They
replaced
2005of Cobalt
2006
model—after
wou
Ms. Karman’s were resolved back
their steering. lost power.
eral this
safety
regulators
moreit inexplicably
madeher
all kinds
excuses with
key
had been
removed.
back
wo
lion.
Whil
telecommunications
giant’s
Ms.their
Karman’s
were
resolved
their
steering.
safety
regulators
—ofabout
more
eurchased
all kinds
of excuses
Ms.
steering.
eral
safety
— more
made
all kinds
excuses
quickly
and with
minimal
resist-buyAndregulators
then there were
the cars
than
4,500
Cobalts
from
and
said it waseral
our“They
daughter’s
four
of
resold
to the repurchased
lion.
Wh
in th
and
with
minimal
resistAnd
then
there
were
the cars
ance,
others
handled
by his
firm
than
4,500
about
Cobalts
from
that
turned
themselves
off with
January
to March 2014,
acwas inour
daughter’s
fault.”
back
would
cost
about
$10.5
bil-stockquic
And
then
there
were
the
cars
than
4,500
about
Cobalts
from
andtheir
said
it was
our2005
daughter’s
Ms.
Karman’s
were
resolved
steering.
afety
regulators
—
more
found,
W.Va.,
knew
right
away
that
nearly
2.6
million
ofquickly
the
cars,
including
over
awith
Florida
were
toJanuary
shares
sin
stock
in
were
not.handled
“They
did
fight,”
he
no
warning.
cording
tosomething
a review
of that
thewas
dataTheresold
Heasters
noted
another
ance,
others
by
his
firm
turned
themselves
off
with
2005
to
March
2014,
acance
that
turned
themselves
off
January
2005
to
March
2014,
acfault.”
lion.
While
AT&T
has
bought
back
ntified
as
and with
minimal
resistAnd then
there
were
the cars quickly
4,500
about
Cobalts
from
ers,
The
Times
found,
inround
of
said
of
General
Motors.
Arleen
Karman
of
Evans
City,
base
by
The
Times.
curiosity
about
their
Cobalt:
wrong
with
their
car.
G.M.
has
million
Cobalts,
in
the
last
two
months.
shares
sb
were
not.
“They
did
fight,”
he
no warning.
cording
to Heasters
a review
of
the datasters
noted
another
were
no stock
warning.
cording to
a review
of the
dataThe
noted
another
ignition
in thewas
pastalso
— 775
million notion
others
handled
by his
firm
that
turned
themselves
ry
2005
toHeather
March
2014,asstart
ac- the
Lisa Funk
representsaid her
two-month-old
blue
“The
car locks off
andwith
unlocksance,
it- Pa.,
tha
could
engine,
ne
that was
identified
round
o
said
of
General
Motors.
sbout
no lawtheir Cobalt:
Arleen
Karman
of
Evans
City,
base
by
The
Times.
said
Arleen
Karman
of
Evans
City,
base
by
The
Times.
curiosity
about
their
Cobalt:
They
had
bought
a red
Cobalt
made
loaner
cars
available
tosince
customers
shares
2012 —firm,
thewho
latest
wereCobalt
not. shut
“They
didday
fight,”
he
by Mr.
Silverman’s
Kim- possible t
off one
in 2005
as ed
no
warning.
self2005
regularly,”
wrotefor
onetheir
Cobalt
g tohaving
a areview
ofignition
the key,
data-and
remove
the
the
car
ly
anengine,
s, and
Lisa
Funk
was
also
representPa., said
her
two-month-old
blue
“The
car
locks
and
unlocks
it- City,
notion
uld
start
the
Lit
Pa.,
said
her
two-month-old
bluefone,
“The
car
locks
anda unlocks
itHeather
could
start
thewithin
engine,
mel
&
Silverman,
after
her
Cobalt
she
approached
stop
sign.
driver
in
June
2010.
would
continue
running.
When
round
of
buybacks
reinforces
the
said
of
General
Motors.
16-year-old
daughter,
Heather,
but
weeks,
are
uncomfortable
driving
their
cars
while
they
Arleen
Karman
of
Evans
y
The
Times.
Therethe
is no
lawself regularly,” wrote one Cobalt Cobalt shut off one day in 2005 as ed by Mr. Silverman’s firm, Kim- the
A.
Martin,
eroblem.
key,
and
car
ed
b
Cobalt
shut
off
one
day
in
2005
as
self
regularly,”
wrote
one
Cobalt
had
engine
problems
in
2005.
She
possible
When
Ms.
Karman
took
her
car
remove
the
key,
and
the
car
“I
got
in
car
closed
door
and
Ms.
Heaster
mentioned
the
issue
municatio
Lisawait
Funkfor
was also representsaid her
two-month-old
blue
ecomplies
car locks
unlocks
it- Pa.,losing
notion
thatfixed.
it has lost
interest in a
reselling
lemons,
and
adriver
it and
was
repeatedly
power
andfellWhen
the
totold
bethere
recalled
and
Already,
to after
G.M.
and
her
local fone,
for service,
she was
rear
window
out,”family
another
to
the
local
dealership,
theJune
me- 2010.
melshe
&complained
Silverman,
her
Cobalt
she
approached
aSilverman’s
stopthem
sign.
in
inue
running.
When
mel
approached
a
stop
sign.
driver
ininMr.
June
2010.
would
continue
running.
MI
th
requireed
by
firm,
KimCobalt
shut
off
one
day
in
2005
as
egularly,”
wrote
one
Cobalt
possible
takeover Pa.,
bid but
for VodaGreg
A.shrugged
Martin,
dealer
in
Levittown,
wascar had
was
nothing
wrong
with
it. The
chanic
off“I
her
concern,
thought
it was
dangerous
for her
tothe
drive.
10,000
have
been
provided.
had engine
problems
in 2005.
She
Ms.
Karman
took
her
carand
got
in
car mentioned
closed
door
and
rkesman,
mentioned
the
issue
When
Ms.
Karman
took her
“I
got
in
car loaners
closed
door
Ms.
Heaster
issue When
ale
of re- 2010.
munica
mel
&dealer
Silverman,
after
her
Cobalt
she
approached
a stop
sign.
in
June
fone,
the
big
European
telecomautomaker
“complies
repeatedly
dismissed.
Her
lawsaid
she
was
imagining
she
said,
and
told
her,
“All
CoRe
complained
to G.M.
her
local
in
for
service,
sheproblems
wasout,”
told in
there
rear
fell
out,”
another
dealership,
the
mecom
inbuybacks
for finally
service,
sheand
was
told
thereSwiss
rear
window
fell
another
to window
the
dealership,
the
me-car
M
“It
would
just
dielocal
inMs.
the
middle
of the
road,”
to died
the
under
lemon
had
engine
2005.
She
When
Karman
took
her
got
inlemon
car balts
closed
door
and
yer
negotiated
a
replacethings, In
she addition
said. The
engine
do
that.”
state
law
requiremunications
company.
8
Banks’
Heaster
of
dealer
in
Levittown,
Pa.,
but
was
was
nothing
wrong
with
it.
The
gged
off
her
concern,
deal
was
nothing
wrong
with
it.
The
chanic
shrugged
off
her
concern,
ment
Cobalt
for
Ms.
Funk,
but
twice
more
and
the
dealership
reThe
Cobalt
is
among
the
six
complained
todetails
G.M. and
for service,
was
told there
window
fell
out,”
another
Ms.
Heaster
could she
have
gotten
laws,
ofher
thelocal
problemssaid
with
theJ. Her
Cobalts
ncluding
the
resale
of
re- said.in“She
MICHAEL
DE
LAlawMERCED
ght away
repeatedly
dealerdealer
saidplaced
sheLevittown,
was
imagining
nd
told her,
“AllofCorepe
sheupwas
imagining
said,
andAtold
her,
“All
Swiss
R
that onedismissed.
acted
as well.
She Switzerla
her
gas
pedal,
but was
the dealer
long
list
of it.Co-killed.”
models
small cars she
thatwas
General
in
Pa., but
nothing
wrong
with
The
ed
ongvehicles.”
with
The
Heasters
complained
to
dealerships
were
cited
in
complaints
filed
with
federal
safemission
yer
finally
negotiated
a
replacethings,
she
said.
The
engine
died
took
a
loss
on
the
car,
just
to
get
problem
persisted.
.”
Motors
has recently
recalled
for
yers
things,
she
said.
The
engine
died
balts
do
that.”
repeatedly
dismissed.
Her
lawdealer
said
she
was
imagining
8
Bank
Swiss
Regulator
Investigating
d and
Gwenda
Heaster
after
reports
begu
rid
ofmore
it. for
Sheregulators
finally
parked—
themore
carment
in twice
the
ignition
switch
is buybacks
Cobalt
Ms.
Funk,
but re-had men
twice more
and
the
dealership
alt
is Coamong
the
six
and
the dealership
Thethat
Cobalt
is among
the six
andfaulty
then
toofG.M.
ty
than
4,500
about
Cobalts
2005
yer finally
negotiated
a rereplaceshe said.
The engine
died
W.Va.,
knew
right
away
“There
is
something
wrong
hergas
garage
and but
never
drovethat
it placed
prone
to turn
off if itmodels
isthings,
bumped,
into
eight
8
Banks’
Currency
Trading
Switzer
one
acted
up
as
well.
She
placed
her
pedal,
the
mall
cars
that
General
that
her gas
pedal, but
ofmore
small
cars
General
d daughofand
car
troubles.
mentagain.
Cobalt
for
Ms.
Funk,
twicethose
thethat
dealership
“We
told
cars
were
not resafe,”
from
January
2005
tobut
March
2014,
according
togetathecluding
with these
cars,”
Ms. Funk said.
She
called
a lawyer
and,
in
shutting
down
the them
engine
and
mething
was
wrong
with
th
mission
took
a
loss
on
the
car,
just
to
weeks,
it recalled for
problem
persisted.
recently
took
problem
persisted.
Motors
has
recently
recalled
for
Competition
Comthat April
one
acted
up
asdatabase
well.
She bySwitzerland’s
Mr.
Martin,
the
G.M. spokesplaced
her made
gas pedal,
but the
2006,
G.M.
took
the
car back
disabling
air bags. The
automakSuisse an
Ms.
Heaster
said.
“They
all
kinds
of
exreview
of
the
The
Times.
ower
and
hadrid
beg
rid of man,
it.
finally
parked
the
car
into get
gnition switch
that
is nearly
o
She
finally
parked
the that
car itincollusion
the2.6
faulty
switch that is Shetook
said said
it would
be “inapproand
issued
full
refund,
including
er
has
recalled
millionignition
mission
on Monday
a loss
on athe
car,
just
problem
persisted.
had
bought
red
2005
Cos danger“There
is
something
wrong
her
garage
and
never
drove
it
cuses
and
saidprone
it
was
our
daughter’s
fault.”
rn
off
if it of
isa the
bumped,
“The
car
locks
and
unlocks
itself
regularly,”
into
eigh
“T
her
garage
and
never
drove
it
priate
to
draw
any
meaningful
to
turn
off
if
it
is
bumped,
the
trade-in
value
of
Ms.
Karcars,
including
over
a
milwrote
in
January
2006.
had
begun
a
formal
investigation
rency
ma
She finally parked the car in rid of it.
their
16-year-old
daughconclusions”
from
individual
man’s
previous
vehicle,
she
said.
lion Cobalts,
in the
last
two
with
these
cars,”
Ms.
said.
She
called
a lawyer
and, in
wn
the
engine
andHeasters
again.
She
aFunk
lawyer
and, incommissi
shutting
down
the never
engine
andagain.
cluding
“When
itcuriosity
rains,
my
car
The
noted
another
about
wrote
one
Cobalt
driver
in
June
2010.
he
middle
“There
is
something
wrong
her
garage
and
drove
it doors
into
eightcalled
financial
institutions,
in- with
her,
but
within
weeks,
it
complaints.
As
required
bycar
Pennsylvania’s
months.
G.M.
has
made
loaner
Mr.
Martin,
the
G.M.
spokesApril
2006,
G.M.
took
the
back
rter
bags.
The
automakdo
not
open,”
wrote
a
driver
in
Ma
April
2006,
G.M.
took
the
car
back
disabling
air
bags.
The
automakSuisse
gating
wh
said.losing
with these cars,”
Ms.
Funk
again.
She
called
a lawyer
and, in recluding
the
banks
atedly
and
their
Cobalt:
Heather
could
start
the
engine,
“I
in
car said.
closed
door
and
rear
window
“At this
timeSwiss
ourbe
full
focus Credit
is on
law,got
the
automaker
also
available
to customers
who
August
2008.
“I million
took
myand
car issued
in to lemon
man,
said
it
would
“inapproa
full
refund,
including
led
nearlycars
2.6 power
million
man
illed.”
and
issued
a
full
refund,
including
er
has
recalled
nearly
2.6
ments
occ
collusio
Martin,
G.M. spokes- taking
Apriltheir
2006,get
the
car back afterMr.paid
care
current
Cobalt
cusher legalthe
costs.
are
uncomfortable
driving
Suisse
andofUBS,
over
potential
y
thought
it was
thetook
door
locks
the
key,
the
carG.M.
would
continue
fell
out,”
wrote
intomers
January
2006.
ained
to move
to
draw
any
meaningful
trade-in
value
ofanother
Ms.
Karinmt
including
over
adangermilpria
trade-in
value
oftheir
Ms.cars
Kar-banks
ofand
cars,
over
a replaced
mil-therunandtorepairing
wrote
inthem
January
“They
me
moneypriate
or the
rency
cars
while
they wait
forthe
to including
man,
said
it offered
would
bemy
“inapprowrote
in January
2006.
and
issued
a2006.
fulltrapped
refund,
er
to
drive.
being
inincluding
my car after
the
collusion
manipulate
the
cur-rates
G.M.
in
fo
conclusions”
from
individual
man’s
previous
vehicle,
she
said.
s, in thebe
last
two
conc
man’s
previous
vehicle,
she
said.
lion
Cobalts,
in
the
last
two
as
quickly
as
possible,”
he
said
in
another
car,”
Ms.
Karman
said.
“I
ning.
When
Heaster
mentioned
the issue
and Ms.
fixed.
Already,
“When
rains,
doors
do not
open,” the
“When
it
rains,
my
carofdoors
priate to
draw
anyitcar
meaningful
“When
it rains,
my
doorsmy car
the
trade-in
value
Ms.
Kar- to
commis
battery
died.”
uld
just die
inrecalled
the
middle
arsJanuary
were
in
2006.
rency
markets.
In
a statement,
ing.”com
Alon
complaints.
As
required
by
Pennsylvania’s
an
email.
“We
also
have
initiated
said,
‘No
way
in
this
world
do
I
M.
has
made
loaner
10,000
loaners have
been
proAs
required
by
Pennsylvania’s
months.
G.M.
has
made
loaner
Dozens
of shrugged
complaints
from
do notman’s
open,”
wrote
avehicle,
driver
in said.do
conclusions”
individual
not open,”
wrote
a driver
in
previous
she
er said.
the
local
dealership,
the
mechanic
off
gatingthw
wrote
a from
driver
in me
August
2008.
“I internal
took
my
car
oad,”
Heaster
hen
rains,
my
carsaid.
doors
commission
itfocus
was
“investian
unsparing
review
of
Cobalt. Give
the“At
vided.
this
time
full
is on
lemon
law,want
theanother
automaker
also
ble
toit Ms.
customers
who
lemon
law, our
thesaid
automaker
alsoSuisse,“A
cars
available
toby
customers
whothe
owners
focused
on
same
August
2008.
“I
took
my
car
in
to
complaints.
August
2008.
“I
took
my
car
in
to
As
required
Pennsylvania’s
o
ldopen,”
have gotten
killed.”
are
JPMo
the
circumstances
that
led
to
this
money
and
I’ll
go
somewhere
tortable
wrote
a
driver
in
In
addition
to
the
buybacks
unher concern,
said,
and told
her,They
“All
Cobalts
incosts.
to get the door taking
locksgating
replaced
after
being
whether
improper
agree-ments
scene:
would
be drivcare
current
Cobalt
cuspaid
herthe
legal
driving
their getshe
takin
her of
legal
costs.
are
uncomfortable
driving
their
the
door
replaced
after
“At
thisand
time
is onpaid
get
door
locks
after
lemon
law,eerie
the
automaker
also
recall and we will hold ourselves Barclays,
else
buyour
areplaced
carfull
thatfocus
runs.’”
der
lemon
laws,
details
of thelocks
Heasters
complained
to
banks
in
.hey
tBeachy,
2008.
“I
took
my
car
in
to
ing,
they
would
hear
a
chime
and
ments
occurred
between
various
tomers
and
repairing
their
cars
offered
my
orlawyer,
wait for
to the
dotothem
that.”
tome
trapped
inmoney
myafter
car
after
the
battery
died.”
“They
offered
me
my money
orZürcher
cars
while
for them
to “They
being
trapped
inthen
mywait
car
taking
careme
of
current
Cobalt
cusbeing
trapped
inSilverman,
my
car
the
accountable.”
paid
her they
legal
costs.
Robert
her
problems
Cobalts
were
K
con-locks
ips
and
then
G.M.withafter
theyafter
wouldthe
lose another
control
ofcar,”
rates
enett
door
replaced
as
quickly
as
possible,”
he
said
in
Ms.
Karman
said.
“I
and
fixed.
Already,
banks
in
the
setting
of
exchange
asin
q
another
car,”
Ms.
Karman
said.
“I
be
recalled
and
fixed.
Already,
said
that
while
some
claims
like
cited
in
complaints
filed
with
fedbattery
died.”
The
Cobalt
is
among
the
six
models
of
small
Dozens
of
complaints
from
owners
focused
Baer.
tomers
and
repairing
their
cars
battery
died.”
“They
offered
me
my
money
or
old
them
those
cars
were
trapped
my carproafter the10,000 loaners have been pro-said, ‘No way in this world do I an email.
“We
alsoinhave
initiated
ers
havein been
anAlo
e
‘No
this
worldtraddo Iing.”
rates
inway
foreign
exchange
Dozens
of car,”
complaints
from
as quickly
ascomplaints
possible,”
hefrom
said
in said,
of
another
Ms. recently
Karman
said.
“I Dozens
e,”
Ms. Heaster
General
Motors
has
recalled
cars thatsaid.
onCobalt.
the
same
eerie
scene:
They
would
be
driving,
y died.”
Suisse,
an
unsparing
internal
review
of
want
another
Give
me
the
an
u
want
another
Cobalt.
Give
me
the
vided.
ing.”
Along
with
UBS
and
Credit
owners
focused
oninthe
an email.
“We also
focused
on have
the initiated
same
said,
‘No way
this same
world do I owners
of buybacks
complaints
from
are
JPM
for theunfaulty
ignition
switch
that
is
prone
to
turn
they
would
hear
a
chime
and
then
they
would
the
circumstances
that
led
to
this
money
and
I’ll
go
somewhere
nens
to the
the
c
money
and
I’ll
go
somewhere
In
addition
to
the
buybacks
unSuisse,
the
financial
institutions
eerie scene:
They would
beGive
driv-me the eerie
an scene:
unsparing
review
Theyinternal
would be
driv- of
want another
Cobalt.
slaws,
focused
onof the
same
recall
and
we
will
hold
ourselves
Barclay
else
and
buy
a
car
that
runs.’”
details
the
reca
else
and
buy
a
car
that
runs.’”
der
lemon
laws,
details
of
the
brams,
Susan
C.itBeachy,
off
if
is
bumped,
shutting
down
the
engine
and
lose
control
of
their
steering.
ing,
they
would
hear
a
chime
and
are
JPMorgan
Chase,
Citigroup,
the
circumstances
that
led
to
this
ing,
they
would
hear
a
chime
and
money and I’ll go somewhere
scene:
They
would
be driv-problems
Robert
Silverman,
herhold
lawyer,
ith
theKitty
Cobalts
were
acco
Zürcher
Robert
Silverman,
her
with
were
c and
Bennett
conthen
they
would
lose
control
of
recall
and
we
will
ourselves
then
they
would
lose
control
ofaccountable.”
Barclays,
Royal
Bank
oflawyer,
Scotland,
elseThe
and
buy
athe
carCobalts
that runs.’”
disabling
air
bags.
automaker
has
recalled
And
then
there
were
the
cars
that
turned
ey
would
hear
a
chime
and
said
that
while
some
claims
like
plaints filed
with
fedsaid
that
while
some
claims
like
cited
in
complaints
filed
with
fedvestigation,
he
said,
“did
not
over
power-steering
failures
on
Baer.
but
committee
Republicans
are
reporting.
Robert Silverman, her lawyer, accountable.”
Zürcher Kantonalbank and Julius
Page
hey wouldits lose
ofat least
likely to focus on the Obama ad- have clear evidence of a connecsmallcontrol
cars since
said2010,
that while
some
claims
like
CHAD BRAY
Baer.
ministration’s
performance, tion between the ignition switch
and won some important battles.
A long list of
ng list of
buybacks after reports
backs after reports
of car troubles.
ar troubles.
A long list of
buybacks after reports
of car troubles.
ety Agency Is Ready to Point Finger at G.M.
of the re-
While G.M. recalled some mod-
meaning the role of the highway
being in the accessory mode and
JEFF SWENSE
omplaints from
uch bizarre oc- Heather Heaster, 25, was a teenager when G.M. replaced her 2005 Cobalt with this 2006 model after it inexplica
engine running
been removed.
Ms. Karman
their steering.
— moreSilverman,
“They off
made
all no
kinds
of excuses eral safety regulatorsRobert
themselves
with
warning.
her lawyer, said that
he repurchased
quickly and w
And
then
there
were
the
cars
than
4,500
about
Cobalts
from
and
said
it
was
our
daughter’s
while some claims like Ms. Karman’s were rewere resold toArleen Karman of Evans City, Pa., said her
January 2005 to March 2014, ac- that turned themselves off with ance, others
fault.”
Times found,
intwo-month-old
blue Cobalt
shut off cording
one day
solved
with minimal resistance,
were not. “T
warning.
to in
a review
of thequickly
data- noand
The Heasters
noted another
was identified
as
2005 ascuriosity
she approached
a stop
sign. base by The Times.
others handled by
his firm
were
said of Gener
Arleen
Karman
of not.
Evans“They
City, did
about their
Cobalt:
ng an ignition
Lisa Funk
said herMotors.
two-month-old blue
“The
car
locks fight,”
and unlocks
it- ofPa.,
Heather
could
start took
the engine,
When
Ms.
Karman
her
car
in
for
serhe
said
General
There is no law
remove the key, and the car self regularly,” wrote one Cobalt Cobalt shut off one day in 2005 as ed by Mr. Silv
vice,
lemons, and
a she was told there was nothing wrong with
Lisa Funk was
also represented by Mr. Silmel & Silverm
she approached a stop sign.
would continue running. When driver in June 2010.
Greg A. Martin,
it. The dealer
said
she
was
imagining
things,
she
verman’s
firm,
Kimmel
Silverman,
after
had engine pr
When Ms.&Karman
took her
car her
“I got in car closed door and
Ms. Heaster mentioned the issue
aker “complies
complained to
in
for
service,
she
was
told
there
rear
window
fell
out,”
another
to
the
local
dealership,
the
mesaid. The engine died twice more and the deal- Cobalt had engine problems in 2005. She comon law requiredealer in Lev
was
nothing
wrong
with
it.
The
chanic
shrugged
off
her
concern,
replaced her gas pedal,
plained to G.M. and her local
the resale ership
of redealer said she was imagining repeatedly d
she said, and told her, “All Cos.”
but thebalts
problem
persisted.
dealersheinsaid.
Levittown,
yer finally ne
things,
The engine Pa.,
died but
do that.”
enda Heaster of
She
finally
parked
the
car
was
repeatedly
dismissed.
ment Cobalt
twice
more
and the dealership
re- Her
The Cobalt
is among
theinsix
new right away
that one act
placed
her
gas
pedal,
but
the
models
of
small
cars
that
General
lawyer finally negotiated a rewas wrongher
withgarage and never drove it
took a loss on
problem persisted.
Motors has recently recalled for
again. the
Shefaulty
called
a lawyer and,
placement
rid of it.
She finally Cobalt
parked for
the Ms.
car inFunk,
ignition switch that is
ht a red 2005
inCoAprilprone
2006,
took
car
butgarage
that one
up asit well.“There is
her
and acted
never drove
to G.M.
turn off
if it the
is bumped,
year-old daughagain.
She called
lawyer
shutting down the engine and
back
She took
a lossa on
the and,
car, in
justwith
to these car
within weeks,
it and issued a full refund, inMr. Martin
April
2006,
G.M.
took
the
car
back
disabling
air
bags.
The
automakthe trade-in value of Ms.
get rid of it.
sing powercluding
and
and issued a full refund, including man, said it
er has recalled nearly 2.6 million
t it was dangerKarman’s
previous
vehicle,
“Therevalue
is something
wrong
priate to dra
the trade-in
of Ms. Karof the
cars, including
overshe
a mil- wrote in January 2006.
e.
conclusions”
man’s
previous
vehicle,
she
said.
said.
As
required
law,
lion
Cobalts,by
inPennsylvania’s
the last two lemon
with
these
cars,”
Ms.
Funk
said.
“When
it
rains,
my
car
doors
ie in the middle
As
required
by
Pennsylvania’s
months.
G.M.
has
made
loaner
it
Martin,
the G.M. spokesman, saidcomplaints.
do not open,” wrote aMr.
driver
in
. Heaster the
said.automaker also paid her legal costs.
“At this tim
cars available to customers who August 2008. “I took my car in to lemon law, the automaker also
otten killed.” “They offered me my money or another
be “inappropriate
tocosts.
draw any meaningtaking care of
paid her legal
are uncomfortable driving their get the door lockswould
replaced
after
complained
to Ms. Karman said. “I said, ‘No way in this
car,”
ful car
conclusions”
from
complaints.
“Theyindividual
offered me my
money or tomers and r
cars while they wait for them to being trapped in my
after the
hen to G.M.
as quickly as
another
car,”
Ms.
Karman
said. “I care
be
recalled
and
fixed.
Already,
medied.”
the
“At this time our full focus is on taking
battery
those cars world
were do I want another Cobalt. Give
an email. “W
said,
‘No
way
in
this
world
do
I
10,000
loaners
have
been
proDozens
and I’ll go somewhere else and
buy of
a complaints
of currentfrom
Cobalt
customers and repairing their
Heaster money
said.
want another Cobalt. Give me the an unsparing
vided.
owners
focused
on
the
same
car that In
runs.’ ”
as quickly as possible,” he said in an email.
addition to the buybacks un- eerie scene: Theycars
would be driv- money and I’ll go somewhere the circumsta
recall and we
and buyan
a car
that runs.’”internal
“We
also and
have else
initiated
unsparing
usan C. Beachy, der lemon laws, details of the ing, they would hear
a chime
accountable.”
Robert
Silverman,
her
lawyer,
with
the
Cobalts
were
tty BennettRachel
con- problems
then
they
would
lose
control
of
Abrams, Susan C. Beachy, Bill Vlasic
review of the circumstances that led to this resaid that while some claims like
cited in complaints filed with fed.
A long list of
buybacks after reports
of car troubles.
and Kitty Bennett contributed reporting.
call and we will hold ourselves accountable.”
afety Agency Is Ready to Point Finger at G.M.
siness Page
d one of the rend did not want
get a loaner car
m a G.M. dealer.
if a customer is
or another car,
de an additional
or the purchase
ehicle.”
ere released on
announced anng recall, of 1.5
worldwide, ber steering could
the year now
million recalls
year, it recalled
in the United
many owners
ir second notice
ks for the same
e some of the
models were al2.6 million cars
ignition switch
over power-steering failures on
its small cars since at least 2010,
and won some important battles.
While G.M. recalled some models — like the Cobalt — it resisted
recalling about 383,000 2004-7 Saturn Ions, at one point saying that
if power assist was lost the car
could be controlled, but that it
would take more effort to turn the
vehicle.
At Tuesday’s hearing, one line
of questioning is expected to focus on why G.M. used the faulty
switches even though the company that made them, Delphi, told
the automaker in 2002 that the
part did not meet specifications.
The Democrats on the committee said they were told by Delphi
that the force needed to turn the
key in the switches was in some
cases only about a quarter of the
minimum specified by G.M., and
in 12 tests, only two of the samples reached two-thirds of the
minimum force G.M. required.
Even the beefed-up switches
installed in the 2008-11 model
but committee Republicans are
likely to focus on the Obama administration’s
performance,
meaning the role of the highway
traffic safety agency. In many
House hearings, the Republicans
question agency officials aggressively and the Democrats ask
friendlier questions, but in this
case it is not clear that the safety
agency will have many friends.
Mr. Friedman’s prepared testimony notes that it is not only the
committee that is conducting an
inquiry. The Transportation De-
Currently, G.M. has
recalled 6.3 million
vehicles worldwide.
partment’s inspector general is
looking into the effectiveness of
the safety agency, his testimony
points out.
vestigation, he said, “did not
have clear evidence of a connection between the ignition switch
being in the accessory mode and
the air bag nondeployment.”
When the office failed to spot
the trend, he said, “our understanding at the time was that air
bag systems were designed to
continue to function in the event
of power loss during a crash,
which is not uncommon.” He said
that agency investigators understood that the air bag system
would be able to work for 60 seconds after all electric power to
the car was shut off.
A 2006 field report about a
crash in Wisconsin in which the
air bags did not deploy was ambiguous, he said, because it tentatively identified impact with a
tree that may have been too soft
to trigger the air bag.
Another line of questioning at
the Tuesday hearing may be the
effect of General Motors’ bankruptcy in June 2009.
A report by the Democratic
n
LY 16, 2014
$2.50
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high 81.16,Tonight,
EDNESDAY,
2014
$2.50
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DOCUMENTS SHOW
G.M.
KEPT SILENT
DOCUMENTS
SHOW
DOCUMENTS
SHOW
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SHOW
$2.50
G.M. KEPT SILENT
ONG.M.
FATALKEPT
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G.M. KEPT SILENT
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SILENT
FATAL CRASHES
Brief Lull Ends
DOCUMENTS SHOW
In GazaDOCUMENTS
Crisis;
ON FATAL
CRASHES
ON FATAL
KEPTCRASHES
SILENT
SHOW G.M.
FATALINQUIRIES’
CRASHES
G.M. KEPT SILENT
U.S. ON
‘DEATH
Strikes Resume
Y 16, 2014
14
Nxxx,2014-07-16,A,001,Bs-BK,E2
partly
cloudyhigh 81. Weather map, Page C8.
skies, cooler, low 66. Tomorrow, $2.50
$2.50
partly sunny skies, low humidity,
$2.50
high 81. Weather map, Page C8.
VOL. CLXIII . . . No. 56,564
© 2014 The New York Times
Late Edition
Today, rain, thunder, clearing later,
high 81. Tonight, partly cloudy
skies, cooler, low 66. Tomorrow,
partly sunny skies, low humidity,
high 81. Weather map, Page C8.
$2.50
NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2014
U.S. ‘DEATH INQUIRIES’
ON FATAL CRASHES
U.S. ‘DEATH INQUIRIES’Company, While Aware
U.S. ‘DEATH INQUIRIES’
U.S. ‘DEATH INQUIRIES’
G.M. KEPT SILENT ON FATAL CRASHESU.S. ‘DEATH INQUIRIES’
Company, While Aware
of Flaws, Gave No
Company,
WhileGave
Aware
Company,
While Aware
of Flaws,
No Answer on Cause
ON FATAL
CRASHES
U.S. ‘DEATH INQUIRIES’
Company, While Aware
Hamas Rejects Egypt’s
Cease-Fire Plan
By JODI RUDOREN
JERUSALEM — After a brief,
one-sided cease-fire, Israel and
Palestinian militants in the Gaza
Strip resumed on Tuesday the alltoo-familiar rhythm of their latest
battle: Over 100 rockets sent Israelis scrambling for shelter, Israeli airstrikes pounded tunnels
and rocket launchers, and diplomats wrung their hands.
But Egypt’s failed effort to halt
By REBECCA R. RUIZ
the hostilities did help clarify crucial differences from previous goand DANIELLE IVORY
rounds that experts say make a
resolution much more complicated to achieve. A simple return to
the status quo, a “quiet for quiet”
deal, no longer seems sufficient.
Not for Hamas, the isolated Islamist faction that dominates
Gaza and is desperate for economic relief for the coastal terriTHOMAS COEX/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES
tory’s 1.7 million residents. And
not for Israel, where there are Hamas launched over 100 rockets from Gaza on Tuesday after Egypt proposed a cease-fire that did not meet any of its demands.
growing calls for an international
effort to disarm the Gaza militants or for Israel’s military to
seize control of the area.
Even Egypt’s reclaiming of its
traditional role as broker showed
how much things had changed,
still churning, with no end in
with the new leadership in Cairo
sight, and the sheer volume of
By MICHAEL BARBARO
ending up closer to Israel’s posiembarrassing revelations about
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jertion than to that of Hamas. Israel
theGETTY
Christie
administration’s conTHOMAS COEX/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE —
IMAGES
embraced Egypt’s proposal, sey will make his most significant
duct and culture could ultimately
which demanded few conces- and elaborate return to the presidoom his presidential chances.
dential arena this week amid insions of it, while THOMAS
Hamas seemed
The governor’s rivals are alCOEX/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
that, despite his tribulastunned by THOMAS
terms that
did not dications
ready raising pointed questions
COEX/AGENCE
FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES
As more workers find their
meet any of its demands and re- tions, his political standing has
about his leadership, including
lives
upended and their payfused to hold—itsGETTY
fire. IMAGES
stabilized and his advisers see a
The Iowa trip — and a second his financial management in New
ENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
“The world is radically differ- possible path to the Republican planned for New Hampshire on Jersey. And it is not clear that checks reduced by ever-changing,
on-call
schedules, governent from the 2012 conflict,” said nomination in 2016.
July 31 — hint at what his backers personality and charisma still
Nathan Thrall, an author of an InMr. Christie’s three-city swing said was a larger, delicate, post- matter in a party that has be- ment officials are trying to put
ternational Crisis Group report through Iowa, the first state to lane-closing strategy for selling a come so defined by conservative limits on the harshest of those
scheduling practices.
on the situation released Mon- have a say on the presidential potential Christie candidacy to ideology.
The actions reflect a growing
day, referring to the last intense race, will represent a highly pub- wary donors and a broader ReBut recent polling and discus- national movement — fueled by
cross-border exchange. “This lic resumption of his White
THOMAS
FRANCE-PRESSE
— GETTY
IMAGES officials
House COEX/AGENCE
publican base. The
strategy aims sions
with Republican
thing is much harder to resolve.”
ambitions after six months of to demonstrate that whatever the around the country have left Mr. women’s and labor groups — to
“Egypt helped its ally, Israel, scandal. It was deliberately con- Tea Party and ideological appeal Christie’s supporters and advis- curb practices that affect millions
achieve a face-saving unilateral structed to showcase what his ad- of his would-be rivals, they lack ers more persuaded that, despite of families, like assigning just one
cease-fire — that’s what hap- visers believe distinguishes him his gift for, and enjoyment of, the damage from his administra- or two days of work a week or requiring employees to work unpened,” Mr. Thrall said. “We had from the emerging Republican street-level “retail politics.”
THOMAS
— GETTY
IMAGES There are plenty of reasons for tion’s role in touching off days of predictable hours that wreak
an Israeli COEX/AGENCE
unilateral cease-fireFRANCE-PRESSE
to field: his personality
and ability
horrendous traffic on the George havoc with everyday routines
which Hamas never agreed, and to interact spontaneously with skepticism of the Christie stratWashington Bridge last fall, there like college and child care.
egy: Three investigations are is a place for Mr. Christie in the
Continued on Page A6
ordinary people.
The recent, rapid spread of onpresidential contest, should he call employment to retail and othopt to run, and they are eager for er sectors has prompted proposhim to begin inching forward.
E — GETTY IMAGES
als that would require companies
Even in New Jersey, where the to pay employees extra for onlatest subpoenas and testimonies call work and to give two weeks’
from investigations into Mr. notice of a work schedule.
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Christie’s office are monitored
Vermont and San Francisco
closely, his job approval rating re- have adopted laws giving workmains 50 percent and consider- ers the right to request flexible or
ably more voters — 45 percent predictable schedules to make it
against 38 percent — view him fa- easier to take care of children or
vorably than unfavorably, polling aging parents. Scott M. Stringer,
shows.
the New York City comptroller, is
And well beyond New Jersey, pressing the City Council to take
interviews and public opinion up such legislation. And last
Continued on Page A3
Continued on Page B4
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Company, While Aware
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U.S.car‘DEATH
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he
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loss in
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By REBECCA
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federal
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DANIELLE
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caught the attention of federal regulators.
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in Ion
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Erickson caught the attention
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By REBECCA R. RUIZ of Flaws, Gave No
along a rural Texas road, suddenWhy did the Saturn
Ion heIVORY
was traveling
known
asfederal
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likehavoc
college
and
child
care.
The
recent,
rapid
spread
of
question
from
regulators
of
what
The
actions
reflect
a
growing
liautomaker
O’Hara,
a onstar ofwas
“South
Pa- blunt, writing,
haps
hundreds
of
people.
ment
officials
are
trying
to
put
tional
league.
The
stadium
is
unG.M.,
in
its
interaction
with
safed
their
payHealth
found
that in general, exclient
privilege
may
have
prerttable
Rehours
that
wreak
Bridge
lastBut
fall,
there
Mr.
Christie
inpresidential
the
cific,”
serenade
them
with Rodgother
the
automaker
was
has
becontest,
should
he
recent
polling
and
discuslike
college
and
child
care.
SEEDING
THE
FIELD
remarkable,
with
its
squat,cases,
steel
more
blunt,
writing,
“G.M.
opts
notled
to respond.”
TheInresponses
The
recent,
rapid
spread
onecutive pay
bore no relation to
This article
is by Sam
call
employment
to
retail
and
othto a crash.
at least
three
national
movement
—
fueled
by
limits
onBorden,
the
harshest
of answering.
those
and
Hammerstein,
Sondheim
The
company
repeatedly
found
ty
regulators,
a of
deadly
stands and
patchy
grass, and yet ers
ever-changvented
from
And
in
everyday
routines
orwith
Mr. Christie
in the
Second
ofobscured
twoit
articles.
ge A1
G.M.’s reluctance to respond to
Ultimately, G.M. said it had not Cobalts were known not to deBy CHRIST
the government with evaluations
ment, Michael assessed the cause of the acci- ploy in some cases.
and NIC
of
suspicious
crashes
extended
In
a
third
fatal
crash,
involving
dent.
cted to face inaccurately
assess
the
cause”
of
the
incident.
dence
that
there
was
a
problem
with
the
switch,
beyond
just
the
accidents
that
the
the
deaths
of
Amy
Rademaker
“It
seems
inconsistent,”
said
ore lawmakers
The Pentag
Natasha
teenage
automaker
hascollision
publicly linked
to from
Carl which
Tobias, also
a lawfaced
professor
at andfrom
g. He is sched- G.M.,
a lawsuit
Mr. Weigel,
including
a state
trooper’s
report
ed an order g
Wisconsin in its ignition defect.
the University
of the
Richmond,
who friends
g with, among
Erickson’s
family at
time, further
statedkilled
that in February
2007 that made the critical link new
be- F-35 figh
Several fatal crashes — includ- they would op
arra, the chief specializes in product liability. “It 2006, G.M. again responded that
attorney-client
mayknew
have itbeen
reatween
the faulty
and
the
couldanot
provide
an answer
to ingignition
seems like privilege
the company
those of switch
Benjamin
Hair,
20,air
in bags
aced a harsh
tions that wou
son
make
disclosures.
using
failing to
deploy.
G.M.’s
investigation
that thenot
accident
was
attributable what caused the accident,
Virginia,
and internal
Amy Kosilla,
23, in from appearin
same panel
in it could
the assessed
same languagesaid
as inthat
its reply
to power loss.
It does
sound
like not
New person
York — inside
also hadG.M.
deathhad
in- even
Ultimately,
G.M.
said
it had
only one
rough Interna
they didn’t give N.H.T.S.A. every- to questions about Mr. Erickson’s quiries. In both those cases, when England this w
ed the safety
the cause
of
the
accident.
opened
the
report,
though
it
was
included
in
asked to explain why the vehicles
nquiries relat- thing they should have. That crash.
Rear Adm.
seems
said
Tobias,
the
reply
to regulators,
alsoofffailed
to follow
In this
case, G.M.
had
received
makeinconsistent,”
them vulnerable
to Carl
had drivenwho
straight
the road
in older Chev- “Itcould
Pentagon pre
evidence that
there was
a of
Justice Department’s
investi- ofoutside
— the
withrequirements
front impacts and
airdeath
a law the
professor
at the University
Richmond,
through.
One
onnothe
Saturn Ions,
the planes wo
gation.”
bag
deployment
—
the
automakthe 2.6 million
who specializes in product liinquiry is to provide a copycross
of the Atla
er took advantage of the optional because the f
When asked about G.M.’s rective ignition
ability. “It seems like the comthe police report.
nature of the question and did not engines must
M. has recalled sponses to the government’s
pany death
knewinquiries,
that the
accident
asked for
reply. When
Death inquiries
date comment,
back three hours.
James
Cain, a
the 13 deaths
to
the late
1990s, when
thesafety
safety agenspokesman, said
on Tuesday:
was attributable
to power
loss.
David
Friedman,
the
ct, all of which
The engine
agency
was criticized
for failing said,
“Wesound
are confronting
proband Ions, It
Thedoes
burst into fla
like theyour
didn’t
cy’s acting
administrator,
to spot highway rollovers in Ford prompting the
quiries for four lems openly and directly. We are
give N.H.T.S.A.
everything
they
“G.M.’s with
decision-making,
Explorers
Firestone tires, astructaking responsibility
for what
has
roughly 100 je
have. That
couldsignificant
make
ture, process
andtied
corporate
problem
eventually
to 271 culand making
as riding inshould
the happened
Lockheed Ma
deaths.
across
them changes
vulnerable
toour
thecompany
Justiceto
urn Ion driven
ture stood in the way of safety.”
cials said the
make
sure
that
it
never
happens
In
response,
Congress
passed
a
rson in 2004.
“excessive rub
Department’s investigation.”
G.M.’s reluctance to respond
The N.H.T.S.A. asked G.M. to
law in 2000 requiring automakers blade in that
ur from Dallas again.”
When
about
G.M.’s
toreport
the government
with
evaluaIn aasked
later death
inquiry,
G.M. explain the cause of crashes
to
to regulators any
claims
enly drove into
they have no
that
killed
Gene
Erickson,
left,
government’s
tions
of suspicious
crashes
exnot the
to say
whether it had
they
received
blaming defects
for damage
Ericksonresponses
but chose to
in ins
into the
circumstances
injuries
deaths, so
thethe
governrson. Onlydeath
re- looked
of the planes.
inquiries,
James
Cain, aof and Seyde Chansuthus.
tendedorbeyond
just
accidents
in Tenment
not have to rely
Anderson, spokesman,
who the December
Admiral Kir
said 2009
on crash
Tuesday:
that would
the automaker
hasonly
publicly
riminally negli- nessee that killed Seyde Chan- problem with the switch, includ- on consumer reports. The agency was disappoin
“We are
confronting
openly
and linked to its ignition defect.
suthus,
who is our
also problems
counted ing
er the accident
a state trooper’s collision re- also has the ability to dig deeper would miss th
directly.
Wethe
are
responsibility
what
— including
thosewas
of expected
among
13 taking
victims. G.M.
added portfor
intocrashes
any of those
claims by then
trace of Xanax
from
February Several
2007 that fatal
in its response
that anysignificant
privi- made
death inquiry
asking
n that shehas
was happened
tional debut.
the criticalBenjamin
link between
and making
changes
20, ina Virginia,
and—Amy
Kosilla,
Hair,doing
related
to the case
the—
automaker
fordeath
documentation
But the thr
the faulty
ignition 23,
switch
acrossleged
our material
company
to make
sure that
it never
in and
NewtheYork
also had
inquiries. In
ier determina- would not be shared, even though air bags failing to deploy. G.M.’s of each car accident and an as- between blade
happens
again.”
bothsaid
those
cases,
when asked
explain why athe
it had
not been sued by Ms. Chan- internal investigation
sessment
of the to
circumstances
ineer, Manuel
pretty signi
that
a later
death
inquiry,
G.M.only
chose
not inside
vehicles
off the road — with
family
at the
time.
leadingstraight
to each crash.
gine’s shutting Insuthus’s
terms of bein
one person
G.M. had
had driven
But there it
had
already
beeninto
a the
In no
the air
end,bag
both deployment
G.M. and those— across
y been the to
reaevencircumopened the report,
it and
say whether
had
looked
frontthough
impacts
the the Atla
review of Ms. Chan- was included in the reply to reg- charged with overseeing the
G.M., in itsstances
re- thorough
The prospec
of the December 2009 crash in Tennes- automaker took advantage of the optional nature
ors, said there suthus’s accident within G.M.
ulators, who also failed to follow company fell short in protecting by the F-35 ha
see
killed
Chansuthus,
who is One
alsoof theofrequirements
the questionthe
and
did not
reply. Death
n “sufficient
re- thatSix
public,
Mr. Tobias,
the lawinquidays Seyde
before that
letter to through.
the air show
counted
amonglawyers
the 13representing
victims. G.M.
added
ries
date
back professor,
to the late
1990s,
when the safety
to accurately
said.
“It’s discouraging
regulators,
on the
deathin
inquiry
is to
provide
Monday, thre
of the incident.
to see that
the company
a copy ofrelatthe policeagency
report. was criticized
G.M. had
presented
an evalua-material
shadow a raft
its response
that
any privileged
forboth
failing
to spot was
highway
o faced a law- tion of the crash to the automakWhen asked for comment, Da- not being as straightforward as it ders from the
ed to the case would not be shared. The comrollovers in Ford Explorers with Firestone tires,
kson’s family at er, according to the internal in- vid Friedman, the safety agen- might have been,” he said, “and moths Airbus
pany
had
not
been
sued
by
Ms.
Chansuthus’s
a problem
eventually
tied to was
271 deaths.
that N.H.T.S.A.
not being as
said,
stated that at- vestigation conducted by G.M. cy’s acting administrator,
No injuries
aboutpassed
these a
inquiries
year.time.
The lawyers warned “G.M.’s decision-making,
struc- rigorous
familythis
at the
lege may have
the latest in
In response,
Congress
law in 2000
ture, process
corporate culthat
G.M. could
be liable for
puni-a thorough
that it should
been.”
ould not make But
curred as an F
there
had already
been
re-and requiring
automakers
to have
report
to regulators
view of Ms. Chansuthus’s accident within G.M.
Six days before that letter to regulators, lawyers representing G.M. had presented an evaluation of the crash to the automaker, according
to the internal investigation conducted by G.M.
this year. The lawyers warned that G.M. could be
liable for punitive damages because air bags in
Cobalts were known not to deploy in some cases.
In a third fatal crash, involving the deaths of
Amy Rademaker and Natasha Weigel, teenage
friends killed in Wisconsin in 2006, G.M. again
responded that it could not provide an answer
to what caused the accident, using the same
language as in its reply to questions about Mr.
Erickson’s crash.
In this case, G.M. had received outside evi-
any claims they received blaming defects for
injuries or deaths, so the government would
not have to rely only on consumer reports. The
agency also has the ability to dig deeper into
any of those claims by then doing a death inquiry — asking the automaker for documentation
of each car accident and an assessment of the
circumstances leading to each crash.
In the end, both G.M. and those charged
with overseeing the company fell short in protecting the public, Mr. Tobias, the law professor, said. “It’s discouraging to see that both the
company was not being as straightforward as it
might have been,” he said, “and that N.H.T.S.A.
was not being as rigorous about these inquiries
n
that it should have been.”
N
RECALLS OF CARS
OF 56,718
CARS
VOL.RECALLS
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ABROADOFPROMPT
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RECALLS
CARS
RECALLS
OF
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VOL. CLXIV . . . No. 56,718 ABROAD PROMPT
NEW YORK, WEDN
NO
U.S.
URGENCY
ABROAD PROMPT
ABROAD
PROMPT
ABROAD
PROMPT
RECALLS
OF
CARS
NO U.S. URGENCY
RECALLS OF CARS
TALIBAN BESIEGE
URGENCY
NO U.S. PROMPT
URGENCYCRITICAL
ABROAD
PROMPTNO U.S.
PAKISTAN
SCHOOL,
NO
U.S.
URGENCY
RECALLS
OF
CARS
DEFECTS
FOUND
ABROAD
NO U.S. URGENCY
LEAVING 145 DEAD
CRITICAL DEFECTS FOUND
ABROAD
PROMPT
Some Automakers Point
NO U.S.
URGENCY
CRITICAL DEFECTS
FOUND
CRITICAL
DEFECTS
FOUND
CRITICAL DEFECTS FOUND
to Variations in Parts
Some Automakers Point
NO
U.S.
URGENCY
Variations Point
in Parts and Regulations
Some
Automakers
Point to
Some
Automakers
CRITICAL
DEFECTS FOUND
Some Automakers Point
CMYK
VOL. CLXIV . . . No. 56,718
© 2014 The New York Times
Nxxx,2014-12-17,A,001,Bs-BK,E2
© 2014 The New
York Times
Late Edition
Today, times of clouds and sun,
breezy in the afternoon, mild, high
53. Tonight, mostly clear, breezy.
Low 36. Tomorrow, plenty of sun,
high 44. Weather map, Page A22.
© 2014 The New York Times
VOL. CLXIV . . . No. 56,718
© 2014 The New York Times
$2.50
NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014
CRITICAL DEFECTS FOUND
AN EIGHT-HOUR RAMPAGE
Some Automakers Point
to Variations in Parts
and Regulations
Group Says the Attack Is
Retaliation Against
the Military
and Regulations
to Variations in Parts
to Variations
in Parts
Variations
Parts
By DANIELLE IVORY and REBECCA R.to
RUIZ
By DANIELLEin
IVORY
and
Regulations
and
RegulationsPoint and REBECCA R. RUIZ
CRITICAL
DEFECTS FOUND
Some
Automakers
oyota discovered a braking
defect,
top automakers
in theRegulations
United States — G.M.,
By DANIELLE
IVORY and
Toyota
discovered
a braking
Honda a power steering flaw
and NisFord,
Chrysler,
Toyota, Honda, Nissan
and
and REBECCA
R. RUIZ
to
Variations
in
Parts
defect,
Honda
a
power
steering
san a problem
that could
lead drivers
to
Hyundai
—
have
reported
instances
to
federal
By DANIELLE
IVORY
By DANIELLE IVORY
Toyota discovered
braking
Some
Point
flaw By
and
Nissan
problem
and
REBECCA
R. RUIZ
lose
controlAutomakers
of
their
cars. Ford
found that
regulatorsa when
they
did not arecall
cars,that
even
DANIELLE
IVORY
and wires
REBECCA
and
Regulations
defect,
HondaR.aRUIZ
power steering
could
lead
drivers
to
lose
control
in some
cars
could
melt,
General
Motors
that
though
the
vehicles
contained
the
same
proband
REBECCA
R.
RUIZ
Toyota discovered
a braking
to Variations
in deploy,
Parts
Toyota
flaw discovered
and Nissan aa braking
problem
of that
their cars.
found
that
some airbags
and could
Chrysler
lematic
components
theirFord
recalled
counterdefect, might
Hondafail
a to
power steering
defect,
Honda
power
steering
leada drivers
to
lose wires
controlinas
Toyota
discovered
a
braking
some
cars
could melt,
that some
of and
itsRegulations
Jeeps
could
burstflaw
into
flames.
abroad,
according
to
regulatory
filings
and
flaw
Nissan
a problem
that
By their
DANIELLE
IVORY
Nissan
aparts
problem
that
of
cars.
Ford
found
that
defect,
Honda
a power
steering
General
Motors
that some
airTrying
to Settle
As theand
Ruble
Swoons,
Russians
Desperately
Shop
By DANIELLE IVORY
and REBECCA R. RUIZ
Toyota discovered a braking
defect, Honda a power steering
flaw and Nissan a problem that
could lead drivers to lose control
of their cars. Ford found that
wires in some cars could melt,
General Motors that some airbags might fail to deploy, and
Chrysler that some of its Jeeps
could burst into flames.
The automakers unearthed the
problems years ago, reported
them to regulators and conducted safety recalls.
But those recalls happened
outside the United States.
The automobile industry has
been under a microscope this
year, recalling a record number
of vehicles, more than 58 million
in the United States alone.
“They’re cleaning out their closets,” David J. Friedman, who has
been leading the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the nation’s top car safety
agency, told Congress last month.
But even with such extraordinary efforts to address past problems, automakers have managed
to skirt recalls in the United
States for known safety problems.
In dozens of instances over the
last decade, problems that
prompted recalls or other safetyrelated actions in foreign countries have not been treated with
the same urgency in the United
States, a review of more than 500
international recalls by The New
York Times found.
Automakers are required by
law to notify safety regulators in
the United States within five days
of learning of a safety defect in a
car to start the process of a recall.
But the seven top automakers in
the United States — G.M., Ford,
Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan
and Hyundai — have reported instances to federal regulators
when they did not recall cars,
even though the vehicles contained the same problematic
components as their recalled
counterparts abroad, according
to regulatory filings since 2004.
In none of the instances — at
least 42 in all — did the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration immediately compel the
companies to take stronger acContinued on Page B8
By DECLAN WALSH
T
MOHAMMAD SAJJAD/ASSOCIATED PRESS
One of the 132 students who were killed at a school in Peshawar as nine gunmen wreaked havoc with grenades and suicide vests.
LONDON — First the Pakistani Taliban bombed or burned
over 1,000 schools. Then they
shot Malala Yousafzai, the teenage advocate for girls’ rights.
But on Tuesday, the Taliban
took their war on education to a
ruthless new low with an assault
on a crowded school in Peshawar
that killed 145 people — 132 of
them uniformed schoolchildren
— in the deadliest single attack in
the group’s history.
During an eight-hour rampage
at the Army Public School and
Degree College, a team of nine
Taliban gunmen stormed through
the corridors and assembly hall,
firing at random and throwing
grenades. Some of the 1,100 students at the school were lined up
and slaughtered with shots to the
head. Others were gunned down
as they cowered under their
desks, or forced to watch as their
teachers were riddled with bullets.
Their parents crowded around
the school gates, praying their
children would survive while listening to the explosions and gunfire as Pakistani commandos
stormed the building.
With its chilling echoes of a
school in Beslan, Russia, where
186 children were massacred in
2004, the terrorist attack in Peshawar traumatized a scarred
city that has suffered intense
Taliban violence since the insurgency erupted seven years ago.
By evening, mosques were filled
with mourners carrying small
wooden coffins, and residents
cried openly in the streets.
A Taliban spokesman said the
attack had been retaliation for
the continuing military operation
against the group in the North
Waziristan tribal region. But the
image of children’s bodies on the
floor of their school auditorium,
some of them not yet in their
teens, again demonstrated how
the Pakistani Taliban’s war has
often been taken out on the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
A wave of outrage crossed national boundaries, with statements of support and sympathy
coming from around the world.
Even other militant groups felt
obliged to comment, though perhaps cynically. A spokesman for
the Afghan Taliban, who have
pushed civilian casualties in Afghanistan to a new high in the
past year, posted a Twitter message criticizing the attack as unIslamic and expressing shared
pain with the victims’ families.
Witnesses in Peshawar said
the assault started around 10
a.m., when nine heavily armed
militants, disguised in paramilitary uniforms, slipped through a
military graveyard and leapt
over the back wall of the Army
Public School. They rushed
Continued on Page A1
Thecould
automakers
unearthed
the problems
since
2004.
lead drivers
to lose could
control
and
RUIZ
leadREBECCA
drivers
toR.
lose
control
wires
in some
cars
could
melt,
flaw
and
Nissan
atoproblem
bags
might
deploy, that
and
that
a financial
crisis fail
could deGarner
Lawsuit
of their
cars.
Ford
found
that
years ago,
reported
them
to regulators
and
conIn
none
of
the
—toatlose
least
42
in all
velop
at instances
lightning speed if global
ofByToyota
their
cars.
Ford
found
that
General
Motors
that
some
airNEIL MacFARQUHAR
Putin
Struggles
With
could
lead
drivers
control
Chrysler
that
some
of
its
Jeeps
that already distrust the
discovered a brakingmarkets
and ANDREW E. KRAMER
wires
in
some
cars
could
melt,
Kremlin
lost
confidence
in
its
ducted safety
recalls.
Before ItIVORY
Starts defect,
—
National
Highway
Traffic
Safety
wires
inRussiasome
cars
could
melt,
bags
might
faildid
tothe
deploy,
andcontain
By DANIELLE
Slide
to could
MOSCOW —
faced
a
flames.
of
their
cars.
Ford
found
thatAdability toburst
theinto
damage.
Honda
a Currency’s
power
steering
snowballing
currency crisis on
Motors
that
some
air“It is a real panic,” saidcompel
Kirill
General
Motors
that
some
airChrysler
that
some
of
its
Jeeps
ButGeneral
those
recalls
happened
outside
the
ministration
immediately
the
compaand REBECCA R. RUIZ Tuesday
that prompted an unRecord Lowwires
The
the
inanautomakers
some political
carsunearthed
could melt,
independent
flaw
and
aa problem
thatRogov,
By BENJAMIN
usual
outburst
of publicNissan
bickering
bags might
fail WEISER
to deploy,
and
and economic analyst who is
bags
might
fail into
to
deploy,
and
could
burst
flames.
United States.
nies
to
take
stronger
action,
The
Times
found.
problems
years
ago,
reported
Amid roiling protests and emo- among some top presidential al- pened
often
critical
of
the
Putin
adminGeneral
Motors
that
some
airin a financial
crisis
in 1998,
could
lead
drivers
to
control
lies,
as President
Vladimir
V.
Toyota discovered
a of
braking
tionsthat
over the death
of Eric
Garistration. “The ruble is being desome
its
Jeeps
Chrysler
that
some
oflose
its
Jeeps
flooded stores,
rushing
to dump
automakers
unearthed
struggled
toThe
tame
events
TheChrysler
automobile
industry
has
been
unAsked
about
foreign
practices,
themthe
to5 orregulators
and
conductner during a police
encounter, the Putin
by
6 percent
every
bags
might
failrecall
to deploy,
andthe
rubles
that
seemed
to
shrink
in valued
of
their
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PAGE B1
PAGE B1
ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Chrysler recalled three model years of its
Jeep Wrangler in China in November 2011 for
a flaw that could lead to fires. The automaker
saw that risk as unique to China, citing the
“harsh environment, overly aggressive driving and extreme neglect,” it said in a statement
to The Times. The company recalled only one
of the three model years in the United States,
six months later. The company said it needed
that time to determine if the defect existed in
the United States.
Chrysler said the model years that were not
recalled had a different design and that the Chinese government had pressured the automaker
to issue a broader recall.
A centerpiece of the so-called Tread Act of
2000 was that automakers were required to tell
regulators about recalls or safety-related actions in other countries that involve cars with
“substantially similar” counterparts in the
United States.
Congress added the provision to the law
after a wave of highway rollovers in Ford Explorers with Firestone tires, a problem that was
eventually linked to 271 deaths. Ford had refrained from recalling the cars in the late 1990s,
even after conducting safety actions in Saudi
Arabia and other countries.
Almost 15 years later, United States regulators now regularly receive that information, but
industry habits have persisted. In several filings
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reviewed by The Times, automakers
noted that the safety agency had agreed that
American recalls were not required and that
technical service bulletins, sometimes called
customer satisfaction or product update campaigns, would suffice.
In September 2008, Honda issued a safety
campaign in Japan for CR-Vs and Stepwgns
from the 2007 model year. The company had
found a problem that could increase the steering effort necessary to control the vehicles.
The Stepwgn was not sold in the United
States, but the CR-V was. Honda told federal
regulators that it did not consider the problem
to pose a significant risk because the driver
would receive “adequate warning” to have the
vehicle repaired, such as a noise or an actual
failure of the steering to work properly. Honda noted in its filing that it “consulted with
N.H.T.S.A. on this issue and it was agreed that
Honda would conduct a product update campaign on the U.S. version.”
The Times examined more than 500 regulatory filings on foreign recalls and other
safety actions issued since 2004 in more than
70 countries by G.M., Ford, Chrysler, Toyota,
Honda, Nissan, Hyundai and Volkswagen, the
top eight automakers in the United States by
sales. The review did not include cars that
were recalled in the United States but not
abroad because automakers do not report that
information in the federal filings.
Sometimes automakers did not explain in
their filings why the cars were recalled abroad
and not in the United States. Such explanations
are not required by law, but without them it is
difficult to compare recalls from one country
to another.
Other automakers offered straightforward explanations for the lack of recalls in the
United States. For example, the violation of
a safety regulation in another country might
not constitute a violation in the United States.
In many cases, faulty parts were provided by
local suppliers or manufactured in local factories that did not contribute components to
cars in the United States. In others, the defective parts simply did not exist in the American
version of the vehicles.
Some American car owners have been left
feeling confused or at risk by the inconsistencies.
Last year, shortly after his teenage grandson experienced repeated power steering failures while driving his red 2006 Chevrolet HHR,
Edward Higgins of Melrose, Mass., searched
for recalls. He was surprised to find, while
searching online, that the vehicle had been recalled for that problem in 2010 in Canada, but
not in the United States.
Mr. Higgins had the car fixed in January
2014, paying nearly $1,000 for the repair. G.M.
had told him the company would not cover the
cost, given that his HHR was not under recall.
“I was beyond mad,” Mr. Higgins said in
an interview. “I can’t wrap my mind around
it. I understand this isn’t a perfect world, but
it’s one company. Whether it’s Canada or the
U.S., it’s one car. Why would you recall it in
one country and not another? It doesn’t make
any sense.”
Months later, in March, G.M. issued a recall in the United States for several other cars
with the same faulty part, for the same problem. But again, Mr. Higgins’s car was not included, though two other model years of the
same vehicle were. At the bottom of that recall
notice was a small note offering “special coverage” for the 2006 HHR.
But when Tyler Moore of Dallas tried to seek
out such coverage on his 2006 HHR in April, G.M.
told him repeatedly it did not exist. “I called — I
don’t know how many times — and they’d say to
me, ‘I’m sorry, that model year hasn’t been recalled,’ ” Mr. Moore said in an interview.
Like Mr. Higgins, Mr. Moore paid about
$1,000 to have the problem fixed. Eventually, in
August of this year, he received a partial reimbursement, covering about 15 percent of his cost.
Mr. Moore complained to regulators in July
2013 and never heard back, he said. Federal
regulators have received nearly five times as
many complaints for three model years of the
HHR that were not recalled for the defect as
they have for the two models that were recalled.
Mr. Moore was unaware that the car had
n
been recalled in Canada years earlier.