IF GM Was Blindsided By Ignition Fiasco - Then Why Did They Place An Urgent Order For 500,000 Switches Months Before Recall?

General Motors Co ordered half a million replacement ignition switches almost two months before it alerted federal safety regulators of the issues that prompted a recall of millions of vehicles, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing email exchanges between the automaker and its supplier Delphi Automotive.

The email exchanges, which took place in mid-December 2013 between a GM contract worker and Delphi, indicate GM placed an "urgent" order for 500,000 replacement switches on Dec. 18, a day after a meeting of senior executives, the newspaper said. GM announced its recall in February 2014.