The General Motors Ignition-Switch Recall
The General Motors ignition-switch scandal focuses on how a safety defect can remain unresolved when information is divided among engineers, lawyers, committees, and managers. A weak ignition switch in several GM vehicles could move out of the “run” position, shutting off the engine and disabling systems that included the airbags. Evidence of the problem existed for years before GM initiated a large recall in 2014. An altered switch was also introduced without a corresponding change in the part number, making the history of the component more difficult to trace. The ethical issue is whether individual engineers may assume that someone else will address a known defect once it enters an organizational process. This case demonstrates the dangers of unclear ownership, incomplete documentation, euphemistic descriptions of serious safety problems, and a workplace culture in which no person accepts responsibility for making a final decision.