GM Turns to Facebook, Phone Calls for Recall Notices

By Admin on October 08, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

GM is struggling to get vehicle owners to bring in their recalled cars, but they've found a new way to get out the recall notices: Facebook and phone calls.

Fewer than half of the 2 million cars affected by the GM ignition-switch recall have been taken in to get fixed, so the car manufacturer has decided that recall letters in the mail just aren't cutting it. The Associated Press reports that GM has turned to sending Facebook messages and making phone calls to owners, largely to those who own Chevrolet Cobalts and Saturn Ions.

Is this the way recalls will be announced in the future? And what should you do if you receive a recall notice?

Facebook as a Platform for Recall Notices

For GM and affected car owners, getting the word out is a matter of some importance, given the deaths related to the defect -- and the accompanying liability. With more than a million affected vehicles still waiting to be fixed, it isn't surprising that GM got a bit unorthodox with getting the word out.

Facebook has been increasingly used (with mixed results) to send parties some pretty important legal information, including notice that someone has sued you. Unlike serving someone with a complaint in civil court, however, there are far fewer rules on how a manufacturer has to notify owners of a known defect in its product. Traditionally, this is accomplished in the form of a letter, but consumers may not be paying that close attention.

"I didn't think it was very serious just from the wording on the recall notice," car owner Kim Atkins, 24, told the AP. Perhaps a direct call or Facebook message is a more effective method to make sure that 20-somethings bring their cars in.

If Your Car Is Affected by the GM Recall...

If you're unsure if your car has been affected by the ignition switch recall go to GM's website and enter in your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). If your car is included in the recall, remove all items from the ignition key's keyring and schedule the car for repair at any certified GM service dealer.

Related Resources:

6 New GM Recalls: 7.6M U.S. Vehicles Affected (FindLaw's Common Law)
GM Recalls 3.2M Midsize, Large Cars Over Ignition-Switch Issue (FindLaw's Common Law)
GM Recall Expands to 1.6M Vehicles; 13 Deaths Reported (FindLaw's Common Law)
Auto Recalls: GM Brakes, Chrysler SUVs, Ferrari ‘Escape Latch’ (FindLaw's Common Law)