GM has repaired only seven per cent of recalled cars

More than four months after General Motors started recalling 2.6 million small cars to fix ignition switches, the company has repaired only seven per cent of the vehicles.

GM says fixes have been delayed as switch maker Delphi starts making the part for cars that are no longer being produced.

Through Thursday, GM had repaired almost 177,000 cars and shipped about 423,000 parts kits to dealers worldwide.

Spokesman Kevin Kelly says at first Delphi had only one assembly line building replacement switches, which slowed parts distribution. Kelly says the company now has two lines and a third will be running in late July or early August.

GM expects to have all 2.6 million switches made by late October. GM blames the switches for 54 crashes and at least 13 deaths.