General Motors just can't seem to avoid controversy in 2014. Of course, there has been a continual run of recalls throughout the year, and now, its GM Financial division is under investigation for possibly violating the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act, according to Reuters. FIRREA gives the DoJ the power to examine and potentially sue companies that are found to be acting fraudulently. In this case, the feds want to know the division's criteria when securitizing subprime loans.

GM bought the company previously known as AmeriCredit in 2010 for $3.5 billion and renamed it GM Financial. It allowed the automaker to have an in-house division to offer finance and lease options through dealers, since it sold off GMAC, now Ally Financial. According to Reuters, GM Financial has issued $2.15 billion in subprime-auto-loan-backed securities in the first six months of the year.

Subprime auto loans have been on the upswing this year, despite the recent financial crisis. According to a recent study from credit reporting company Equifax looking at data as of April 2014, $46.2 billion in auto loans have been extended to subprime buyers. That's an eight-year high and about 28 percent of the auto loan balance.

From an Article by Chris Bruce published on AutoBlog that I wanted to share here: