GM employees under probe for defective ignition switch: sources

(Reuters) - U.S. regulators are interviewing present and former General Motors Co employees as part of their criminal probe into the automaker's ignition-switch problem that has been linked to at least 13 deaths, two sources said.

Since early this year, the Detroit automaker has been enveloped in a scandal over why it took more than a decade to begin recalling low-cost Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other cars with the problems that were causing the vehicles to stall during operation.

The sources said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office had asked people to come for interviews.

GM has turned over thousands of emails and other documents to help in the probe, the Wall Street Journal had reported earlier on Friday, citing sources.

Last week the company dismissed 15 employees, including several high-ranking executives, for their roles in matters relating to faulty ignition switches in older GM cars.

(Additional reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bangalore; Editing by Savio D'Souza)