GM to engineers: don't use word 'defect'-internal documents

[Sports News]

By Julia Edwards WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Motors Co warned its engineers against using the words "safety" and "defect" when identifying product risks, and explicitly told them not to use inflammatory terms including "widow-maker" and "Hindenburg," according to company documents released by the U.S. government on Friday. U.S. officials, in announcing a $35 million fine against GM for its delayed response to a deadly ignition switch flaw in certain vehicles, say the documents show a dangerous company culture. The confidential GM training documents, which were used during a 2008 technical learning symposium, give engineers replacement words. The company advised them to use "does not perform to design" instead of "defect," and "condition" instead of "problem." David Friedman, the acting head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said the materials robbed the company of essential terms needed for engineers and investigators to clearly flag problems to higher-ups.

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