It's not going too well for those over at General Motors, who have seen nearly 30 million vehicles recalled already this year in North America, almost 3 million due to an ignition switch problem that led to at least 13 deaths.
Now, the company is facing criticism over how it handled its recalls through a website that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says has a number of inaccuracies.
That is not good news for a company already facing congressional investigation into how it dealt with the recalls and its speed in informing drivers and government regulators.
The NHTSA said in a statement that when consumers went to the site and put into the system the VIN number for their vehicle to see if it was part of the recall, a number of consumers have been told their car is not part of the recall even when it was.
According to the NHTSA, as of Friday evening Eastern Standard Time, the website should be functioning properly and delivering the correct information.
Despite previously slow responses to issues, GM has been out in front of the issue, saying it was addressing the situation and urging consumers to call the company if they feel they are not getting accurate information for their vehicle.
The ignition switch issue has sparked massive tension, and the NHTSA has issued a consumer alert concerning the recall and how to protect oneself from potential danger. "This is a serious safety issue that should be addressed immediately by following GM's recommendation to 'use only the ignition key with nothing else on the key ring' and getting the repairs as soon as consumers receive final notification from GM," said the NHTSA.
Still, despite NHTSA concerns and the recall receiving much media attention, automakers appear to be surging in sales, at least with SUVs, Tech Times reports.
According to sales reports issued by Ford and Toyota, both companies have seen a surge in sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) being purchased.
But for GM, this latest hiccup could be another controversy that the company does not need at the present moment as it continues to be embattled with a number of investigations, a settlement for the victims' families, and Congress calling on the company to fire its top lawyer over how the ordeal was handled.
