by GM recalls nearly 7,000 vehicles due to airbag issues
General Motors has announced two serious recalls related to airbags, covering a total of 6,910 vehicles. This information is worth noting, as officials warn that the defects could lead to “serious injury or death.”
First recall: Risk of driver airbag rupture
The most serious recall involves 4,125 vehicles in which the driver’s airbag inflators may rupture, scattering sharp metal shrapnel. In fact, this resembles an explosive device more than a safety device.
This is a dangerous combination, and the recall covers the 2015 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, 2015 XTS, as well as 2015-2016 ATS, CTS, and SRX models. The airbag modules were manufactured by ARC Automotive, which has already been involved in a similar Hyundai recall.
The problem is attributed to “a supplier manufacturing defect that could cause the inflator to rupture during deployment.” As explained by the government, the inflators used propellant from two batches that may have contained spotted low-density propellant. This “increases the likelihood of high-pressure deployment, which could lead to inflator rupture.”
A GM investigator discovered the issue after analyzing propellant from D5 inflators collected in the field. This was done after the company found spotted low-density propellant inside MC inflators, which had triggered a previous recall.
GM was aware of one field rupture and one test rupture related to MC inflators, but none involving D5 inflators. However, GM removed and disassembled five D5 inflators and found that one had a “high frequency” of spotted low-density propellant.
To mitigate the risk, GM will replace the driver’s airbag with one that does not use the problematic propellant. There is currently no remedy, but an interim letter will be sent in July, followed by a notice about the defect remedy when it becomes available.
Second recall: Side airbag issues
The second recall covers 2,785 trucks, including the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, as well as the 2019 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500. In these vehicles, the side curtain airbag inflators (located along the roof) have end caps that may detach, or side walls that may rupture. If this happens, compressed gas will leak from the inflator, and components may be “propelled into the vehicle interior,” potentially causing injury.
These inflators were manufactured by Joyson Safety Systems, and the recall was initiated due to a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado that “experienced a potential right-side curtain airbag rupture” while parked and unoccupied.
This latest recall expands a previous campaign that covered 2,819 vehicles. GM is not entirely sure what causes the problem but believes the root cause is linked to two manufacturing defects. The first is a small crack in the inflator housing that occurred during production, and the second is “a small amount of water inadvertently left in the housing after the washing process.” The latter leads to corrosion over time and weakening of the sealed housing.
As part of the recall, dealers will replace both side curtain airbag modules. Owners can expect notification starting in early July.
These two recalls highlight an ongoing problem in the automotive industry with the quality of airbag components, especially from suppliers such as ARC Automotive and Joyson Safety Systems. Although GM is responding quickly to potential threats, the fact that problems arise due to manufacturing defects on the supplier side underscores the need for stricter quality control at all stages of the supply chain. Owners of affected vehicles should contact their dealers immediately for further information and to schedule repairs in order to minimize safety risks.
