GM Ignition Switch Recall: How to Check a Used Cobalt, HHR or Ion

If you are looking at a 2003-2011 Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Saturn Ion or Sky, or Pontiac G5 or Solstice, check by VIN that the 2014 GM ignition switch recall (NHTSA 14V-047) was actually completed before you buy. The defective switch could slip out of "Run" and shut the engine off, and with the key out of Run the airbags may not deploy. A free VIN lookup plus a dealer repair record is the proof you want, and until the switch is replaced, GM's own advice was to carry nothing on the key ring but the key.

We went back through the original NHTSA filings and the federal case record in mid October 2026, because these cars have not gone away. The newest of them is now about 15 years old and the oldest about 23, which puts them squarely in the price range of buy-here-pay-here lots, auction run lists, and first-car Craigslist ads. Paperwork at that price point is often thin or missing, and that gap is what this page tries to close.

What the recall covered

GM's first Part 573 filing, dated February 7, 2014, covered 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007 Pontiac G5. It says the ignition switch torque may not meet GM's specification, and that with added weight on the key ring, an off-road trip or some other jarring event, the switch can move out of Run. NHTSA's acknowledgment put that first group at 619,122 vehicles. NHTSA's recall record then shows two expansions: on February 25, 2014, GM added 748,024 more (2006-2007 HHR and Solstice, 2003-2007 Ion, 2007 Sky), and on March 27, 2014, it added 823,788 2008-2010 Cobalt, Sky, G5 and Solstice and 2008-2011 HHR, because the defective switch may have been installed as a service replacement part. The remedy is a new ignition switch, free.

The stakes are not abstract. The federal announcement in September 2015 says GM concealed the defect from NHTSA from spring 2012 through February 2014, and GM agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement and a $900 million forfeiture. The compensation fund run by Kenneth Feinberg later concluded that 124 people died and 275 were injured in connection with the switches, according to Bloomberg's report carried by Insurance Journal, which also notes the defect could shut off the engine and disable power steering and brakes.

The related July 2014 key recalls

Do not confuse 14V-047 with the bigger key-related recalls GM filed that summer. Recall 14V-400 covered about 5.9 million older GM cars, including 2000-2005 Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Malibu, 1999-2004 Alero and 1999-2005 Grand Am, where key-ring weight or a jarring event could also turn the switch out of Run. Recall 14V-394 covered 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS and 2004-2006 SRX. Those remedies were different: dealers added key rings and an insert or cover on the key rather than replacing the switch. So a "recall done" receipt for one campaign tells you nothing about the other. Decoding the VIN with our Chevrolet VIN decoder confirms the exact model year, which decides which campaign applies.

How to confirm the switch was replaced

Start with a VIN recall lookup. Our NHTSA recall check by VIN walkthrough shows how, and GM's own recall lookup takes the VIN as well. A result of "no open recalls" on one of these cars usually means the work was recorded as completed. That is good, but get the dealer repair order if you can, since it names the campaign and the date.

Then check the history report. Recall repairs often show up as dealer service entries, and our open recall on CARFAX post explains how those read and where they fall short. If the lookup shows the recall still open, the recall record lists the switch replacement as free of charge at a dealer, but treat the car as unfinished until it is done. In the meantime, follow the advice from the recall record itself: remove everything from the key ring except the ignition key, including the fob.

Honestly, also look at the key and the column. A worn key, a heavy aftermarket fob, or an ignition that turns with almost no effort is worth mentioning to the dealer when you book the repair. And if a seller says "the recall was done" but cannot produce anything and will not wait for a lookup, that tells you how the rest of the sale is going to go.

History beyond the recall

A completed recall does not clear salvage brands, flood titles, odometer problems or prior wrecks, and cars this old collect all of those. Pull your own report rather than trusting a printout from the lot. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us is about $5.50 as a guest or $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle is about $6.75, versus roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Confirm at checkout. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian. If you are buying from a lot, our dealer buying checklist covers the rest.

Sources

• GM Part 573 filing for recall 14V-047 (via NHTSA)
• NHTSA acknowledgment of recall 14V-047
• FBI / SDNY: GM charges and $900 million forfeiture
• Insurance Journal (Bloomberg): GM settles ignition victims claims
• GM recall lookup