GM Recalls 7.6 Million More Cars from 1997-2014

Once again, General Motors has announced yet another round of vehicle recalls, with six additional ones "covering about 7.6 million 1997 to 2014 model year vehicles in the U.S.," according to Forbes.

And that's not all - there's also an additional 800,000 vehicles that need to be pulled out from other areas in North America, rounding the total vehicle recall volume for this batch to 8.4 million.

This, along with other vehicles recalled earlier this year, brings the total number of recalled vehicles for 2014 to a whopping 25 million units at the very least, as noted by Time. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal pegged the total at 29 million cars and trucks, and that's just this year for the North American region. It's reportedly "a number greater than the company's combined U.S. sales for the years 2005 through 2013."

"GM said the models in the newest recall were connected to three deaths, eight injuries and three crashes. The automaker previously reported it knew of 13 deaths related to crashes involving recalled vehicles," Forbes said.

"We undertook what I believe is the most comprehensive safety review in the history of our company because nothing is more important than the safety of our customers. Our customers deserve more than we delivered in these vehicles," GM CEO Mary Barra announced in a statement posted on the Detroit-based vehicle manufacturer.

"We have worked aggressively to identify and address the major outstanding issues that could impact the safety of our customers. If any other issues come to our attention, we will act appropriately and without hesitation," she also stated.

Judging by the slew of major recalls made this year, it appears Barra is keen on keeping her word. It can also be noted that the recalls began when she took over the helm at GM in January. But this is not to say that these are due to lapses in her management. "The problem had surfaced years before but a recall didn't occur until 2014. Barra has testified before Congress concerning the recalls," Forbes pointed out.

How does this move affect GM's business outlook?

"So far these recalls haven't impacted current sales and have had minimal impact on consumer perception, but we're hitting unprecedented numbers and it's reasonable for people to start asking, 'When and where will it end?'" Kelley Blue Book senior analyst, Karl Brauer, weighed in. "Hopefully, in the long run, it's seen as a positive evolution for the company, though in the short-term it reflects a stark inability to identify safety flaws in a timely manner," she added on the Forbes report.

In the meantime, the American automaker is reportedly expecting "to set aside $1.2 billion in the second quarter for the cost of recall-related repairs," Time said.