GM recalls more cars over ignition concerns

General Motors has recalled 13 million vehicles this year

General Motors (GM) has recalled more than 500,000 Chevrolet Camaro cars, mostly in North America, after finding a fault with the ignition system.

The car manufacturer said a driver's knee could bump the key fob and turn it out of the "run" position, causing a loss of power.

GM said the fault had led to three crashes, causing four "minor" injuries.

In March, GM recalled 2.6 million small cars because of a faulty ignition switch linked to 13 deaths.

In May, the company was fined $35m (£21m) for failing to address different defects which have been linked to 13 deaths.

GM has recalled more than 13 million cars in the US this year - more than the carmaker sold in 2013.

In addition to the Camaro recall, GM also announced it was recalling 28,789 Saab 9-3 convertibles from the 2004-2011 because of concerns over front seat belt failures and 21,567 Chevrolet Sonic cars from 2012, because of concerns over a transmission fault.

The carmaker is also recalling 14,765 of its 2014 Buicks, because of fears over an electrical wiring fault.

Previous recalls have involved possible faulty seat belts, transmissions and air bags, as well as potential fire issues.

"The Camaro ignition system meets all GM engineering specifications and is unrelated to the ignition system used in Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars included in the ignition switch recall," GM said in a statement.

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Analysis

Michelle FleuryBBC business correspondent, New York

General Motors has recalled more cars than it sold last year. But while the American car giant is responsible for the lion's share of recalls, it is not the only one. Industry wide, recalls are up.

Consider this. It's been reported that one in 10 cars and trucks on US roads have been recalled. Given that, it is perhaps less surprising to learn that GM, Ford and Nissan have each recalled more vehicles than they did all of last year.

What is unexpected is the reaction among car buyers. It is unclear if they have become desensitised to the recalls or if it is actually helping to drive demand. Either way, US car sales rose in May as US drivers continued to pack into showrooms. Even GM saw a 13% bump in sales compared to the previous year.