[10] There are no specified torque or vibration standards imposed on a vehicle's ignition switch by the NHTSA, however, General Motors did create their own criteria and specifications as a guide for their engineers.

The torque, or rotational power that prevents the ignition switch from changing modes, was required by GM's own standards to be between 10 N·cm and 20 N·cm (Newton centimeters).

Yet, it was discovered that during extreme moments of vibrations, or even with the presence of heavy objects on a keychain, the switch would change modes from Run to Accessory without the intent of the driver.

[11] Therefore, this was a safety hazard: If the switch changed from Run to Accessory and the vehicle was involved in an accident, it would no longer have power to release the airbags, and it would be difficult for the driver to steer and brake.

[20] In April 2015, GM officially noted that the death toll was believed to have reached 87, higher than the previous number of 74 they reported in March 2015.

"[24] The families of the 13 people who died in car crashes involving the recalled vehicles gathered outside the US Capitol prior to Mary Barra's testimony on April 1.

[25] Friedman's written testimony blames GM for not conveying "critical information" to regulators which could have led to recalls years earlier.

She testified that General Motors would employ Kenneth Feinberg as a consultant to help them decide how to compensate families of those injured by the recalled cars.

This decision was praised by Paul M. Barrett, who wrote in Businessweek that "...bringing in Feinberg is an excellent first step" because he has more than 20 years of experience in mass-injury cases.

[36] After being asked by Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill whether a GM engineer had apparently lied under oath, Barra confirmed that this had indeed happened (or at least seemed to).

[35] McCaskill later appeared on This Week, where she said of GM that "They've tried to lawyer up and play whack-a-mole with these lawsuits, and terrible things have happened," and that "Now it's time for them to come clean, be transparent and most of all make victims whole no matter when this deadly ignition caused heartbreak in their families.

"[37] During the hearings, Barbara Boxer asked Barra why, during the 33 years she worked at GM prior to becoming the CEO in 2013, she never heard anything about the faulty ignition switches.

"[38][39] Also in April 2014, federal safety regulators testified before Congress that they had expected the airbags in the defective cars to be able to deploy for 60 seconds after the engine stalled, but General Motors later told the Associated Press that they actually can only do so for 150 milliseconds.

[43] On July 29, 2014, a lawsuit was filed in US District Court in Manhattan on behalf of 658 people who claim that they were injured or killed because of the faulty ignition switches in GM's recalled cars.

The faulty ignition switch caused the vehicle's mode to change abruptly, shutting off the engine, and preventing the airbags from being released.

[57] The company was determined to honor Barra's promise and, as a result, hired outside attorney Anton Valukas to conduct an internal investigation.

[59] In addition, General Motors launched a compensation program for victims who were harmed by the faulty ignition switches that prompted a recall of more than two and a half million vehicles.

[58] General Motors has stated that the recalled cars are safe to drive unless the driver has additional items attached to the key ring.

[60] In fact, a lawsuit was filed in Texas on April 4, with the plaintiffs aiming to force GM to declare its recalled cars unsafe to drive, but the judge, Nelva Gonzales Ramos, refrained from doing so that day, saying she needed more information.

[62] Some cars received new tumblers, while others had their original keys (if remaining available) had a plug glued in place to make the hole where the keyring goes smaller.

[66] On June 30, 2014, Kenneth Feinberg unveiled a plan to compensate victims of recalled GM cars, including an agreement to pay "whatever it costs" to do so.