General Motors recalls extra 8m vehicles

General Motors is to recall more than 8m cars whose production date back as far as 1997 as the scandal over faulty ignition switches intensifies.

The latest recall – which applies to cars in the US, Canada and Mexico – means the manufacturer has now called back almost 30m vehicles this year. It said the latest recall means it will take a charge of around $1.2bn (£700m) in its upcoming results, up from an earlier $700m estimate.

Defective ignition switches in GM cars have been linked to dozens of crashes and several deaths. GM’s review into the problem is now so wide-ranging that the models it is recalling now span 17 years of production.

The latest recall applies mainly to older sedan cars, which have been linked to seven crashes and three deaths. The company said there is no conclusive evidence that the defects caused the accidents.

“We undertook what I believe is the most comprehensive safety review in the history of our company because nothing is more important than the safety of our customers,” said GM’s chief executive Mary Barra. “Our customers deserve more than we delivered in these vehicles.”

Separately, GM said it would spend whatever it takes to compensate victims of accidents. The company said it had not set a cap on total payouts.

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