Two Million Cars Claimed Defective

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31031, 11 April 1966, Page 12

Two Million Cars Claimed Defective

(N.Z. Press Association — Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 8. General Motors Corporation will soon release to Senate critics warnings affecting millions of its cars made since 1960, it was learned today.

A spokesman for Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff said that the corporation would hand over to the Senator bulletins, notices and other communications dealing with car defects. Senator Ribicoff, chairman of the Senate Auto Safety Sub-Committee, asked the industry for the documents on Wednesday. The disclosure came after a Chrysler Corporation statement that it was inspecting 16,700 of its 1966 cars to locate 250 defective wheels. Senator Ribicoff has been sharply critical of the car industry for failing to notify effectively owners of car safety defects. Senator Walter Mondale claimed on Wednesday that Ford, General Motors and

Chrysler had failed to notify owners of more than two million cars that their cars were defective.

Senate critics have charged that the car manufacturers merely notify dealers when defects are uncovered, instead of contacting the owners of the cars. In several cases, they said, when owners have been notified the language used did not stress the immediacy of the needed repairs. Both Senators Mondale and Ribicoff have introduced legislation to force car manufacturers to notify car-owners, not merely dealers, when defects are found.