GM missed a recall of my 2000 C5.

It's amazing to me how many people think you will lose control of a car simply because the engine dies or you turn the key to shut the engine down...I had the fuel pump go out on my '87 Vette a couple months ago and just steered the car onto shoulder out of traffic...at night. No muss no fuss.

As long as the key isn't pulled into the locking position you can drive the car. So now I have to wonder if the original recall series and fatalities included cases where the pulling the key ring put the ignition switch into the fully off position and also locked the steering column.

But as to your question, yeah - I'd report what you found. Sounds like all they need do is tell owners to get a re-designed key.

Why write GM? Go straight to NHTSA and send it to Mr. Packard, I believe his name was Dan but no longer have the information available. If you truly have a problem they will pickup your car and test it, they do not drive it, they trailer it to their lab enclosed and simulate the issue by computer.

Did you read the report of the accident that started this whole thing?

Amber had put herself at considerable risk on July 29, when her car hit a tree around 4 a.m. in Dentsville, Md. She was not wearing her seatbelt, was legally drunk and had reached 69 miles an hour in a 25 m.p.h. zone just before the crash that killed her, according to a crash report. She was 16................what could GM do to keep her safe, looks like she had a death wish. The air bags were there because the automotive industries know that people will do stupid things, like not wear their seat belts, drink and use drugs, speed and most of all drive way over their ability. As an engineer why would you want a metal key sticking out of the dash inline with your body parts when a collision does/could occur?

With the advent of electric power steering will that add to the problem?

...as an engineer working with modern aircraft, nothing scares me *more* than the thought of a "fly by wire" car...get ready to pay six figures to cover the certification costs of insuring that these abominations aren't impacted by EMI alone.

Grief...it's bad enough that my Z06 has an electric gas pedal.

If that scares you the heart attack of seeing what was controlling the B58 would have you out of that C5 in a flash. Been there done that, worked on an extended range modifications for a rickety old thing call the SR71-c by adding 2 liter of additional oxygen. Which, by the way they used to set a speed record to France, but broke it coming back. We built F/V/P oxygen valves by the thousands for WWII and not quite that many prop hubs, and vacuum pumps. We made the life support cryogenic systems for the space suites and the quarantine trailers Our aircraft division in Buffalo was spun off and I missed that part of my job, love aircraft.

On the Corvette steering, that I believe is electric on the C7, I was not allowed to do any thing other than push the pedals so I still don't know how it will feel to steer it with the power off.

Heh...sounds similar to a few things I've done/witnessed. Like dumping compressor air to gain stall margin on a cat stroke. And I still don't trust anti-lock brakes much either...even less so on a motorcycle...

Glad my Z06 is an '08...with a real rack and pinion, at least.

Never had to worry about stall margin on a motorcycle but one of our club members has a '78 jet turbine powered Corvette that may need to be aware of its importance.

Now tell me again why you would want a metal key sticking out of the dash waiting on your body parts to come kiss it? I'll take the push button any day, besides who wants to dig into his pocket/purse for a key to start a car? Also love to get out and walk away and know that it is locked but will open when you approach.

I'll wait to see how the electric steering works without power before I condemn it.

Dad

...heh...somebody *did* it! Back in another lifetime when I was working in the GE ASO at Ontario airport me and the guys in the shop came up with a way to put a GE T64 in my '82 Firebird...that's 4000+ horses...

...that we couldn't figure out was what to do for brakes...and how to keep the exhaust from chewing up the pavement.

I'd rather have the key sticking out of the steering column, but that's just me...

...and all you have to do to know how fly by wire steering will work with the power out is look at the F-16! Hydrazene secondaries, anyone?!

Snip

Don't have to look at it, I've flown in it, and that of course, is not the only plane to fly by wire. Didn't they do that with the Apollo way back in 1964/5, then the F8 in 1972 with no backup system?

Dad

...that wasn't flying...that was falling - with style!

My uncle worked on Apollo...closest I ever got was to have a seat in a Gemini capsule that had been into space, next to a dummy astronaut. I must have only been 3 or 4, but I remember it well to this day...right hand seat.

I'm presently building an F-16 sim, and with some luck I may get a ride in a Hornet next month...wish me luck...

Falling vertically was fun, rollover was not.

...free falling is even more fun. Getting drug across the ground in a

40 knot wind because you can't get your handle off the Velcro, not so much...