Fix for faulty GM ignition switch linked to 13 deaths cost just 57 cents

The fix for a faulty ignition switch linked to 13 traffic deaths would have cost just 57 US cents, members of Congress said as they demanded answers from General Motors' new chief executive on why the carmaker took 10 years to recall cars with the defect.

At a hearing before a House subcommittee, GM's Mary Barra acknowledged under often testy questioning on Tuesday that the company took too long to act. She promised changes at GM that would prevent such a lapse from happening again.

"If there's a safety issue, we're going to make the right change and accept that," said Barra, who became chief executive in January and almost immediately found herself thrust into one of the biggest product safety crises Detroit has ever seen.

But as relatives of the crash victims looked, she admitted that she did not know why it took years for the dangerous defect to be announced. And she deflected many questions about what went wrong, saying an internal investigation was under way.

Since February, GM has recalled 2.6 million cars — mostly Chevrolet Cobalts and Saturn Ions — over the faulty switch, which can cause the engine to cut off in traffic, disabling the power steering, power brakes and airbags and making it difficult to control the vehicle. The carmaker said new switches should be available from April 7.

Barra was firm, calm and polite throughout the proceedings. But she struggled at times to answer lawmakers' pointed questions, particularly about why the carmaker used the switch when it knew the part did not meet its own specifications.