Hehehe... this is too funny...
Cheap begets sheap...
Ford are probably to blame for the defect.
Why? Because just as GM does - Ford would have squeezed the supplier to lower their price for the part/parts to rock bottom.
This will alos not be the last recall.. you will see ones for engine components and body panels etc etc.
Just as the New C6 is getting - you don't keep a car's price lower by INCREASING quality..
This - however does not explain why Mercedes is going through the same woes unless MB is just using the same crap parts as everyone else and artificially keeping their prices high..