General Motors is recalling almost 780,000 older model compact cars in North America after 6 people have died in more than twenty crashes related to problems because a faulty ignition switch can shut off the engines without warning in the Chevrolet Cobalts from the 2005 through 2007 model years and Pontiac G5s starting with model year 2007.

GM spokesman Alan Adler reported that the six fatalities occurred in five front-end crashes, all of which happened off-road and at high speeds. The same thing would happen in each case, where the ignition switch moved out of the run position, thereby shutting off the engine and electrical power supply, resulting in a potentially life threatening the loss of power-steering assist and power-assisted brakes.

GM made a statement to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, saying that due to a heavy key ring or jarring from rough roads, vibrations can cause a move in the ignition switch out of the run position. When that happens, it results in cutting off the engine and electrical power, leading to a potential crash where the front air bags would not work due to the lack of engine and power, likely what killed those drivers caught in that situation.

Owners have complained to NHTSA of their engines stopped several times while the car was being driven. One person wrote, "Lately my car has been dying while coming to a stop or going to take off. This is really scary when I pull out in busy traffic! I was almost T-Boned one day, but thank goodness I was able to restart my car in time." GM will replace the ignition switch on the recalled models and have urged owners to remove unnecessary items on their keys in the meanwhile.

GM is not the only carmaker with faulty cars, as Toyota also recalled almost 1 million cars sold in the U.S. to fix software glitches, including about 700,000 Priuses hybrid from the 2010 to 2014 model years to fix a software problem that causes the car to stall. Toyota also recalled 260,000 RAV4s, Tacomas and Lexus RX350 models to fix an electronic circuit issue that causes loss of control control and makes antilock brake and traction functions turn off intermittently.