Major Recall: 6 Million GM SUVs and Pickups Over Airbag Inflators
If you think you’ve seen this story before you have over millions of vehicles over the last several years. The Takata airbag debacle has now hit GM and its biggest product; its pickup trucks and SUVs. It’s the faulty product that just won’t go away. With the NHTSA order today it means GM will have to recall six million pickups and SUVs for faulty airbag inflators. GM has maintained that the recall “is not warranted based on the factual and scientific record.”
The Takata GM airbag recall is part of over 100 million vehicles involved
Globally, the Takata airbag disaster has affected over 100 million vehicles. So far. GM Authority says 5,953,594 trucks and SUVs from 2007 to 2014 will need to have their Takata airbags replaced. They are Chevrolet Silverado, Silverado HD, Avalanche, Tahoe, and Suburban. For GMC the affected models are the Sierra, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL. And all 2007 to 2014 Cadillac Escalades including the ESV and EXT are also part of the recall. In other words all of the big GM guns.
The problem stems from ammonium nitrate used in the airbags to propel the bags. It degrades over time especially in areas of high humidity, high temperatures, temperature cycling, or a combo of the three. The degradation causes the propellant to become more easily triggered causing the inflator to explode. When that happens metal fragments can be flung at passengers.
Faulty Takata airbags have killed 27 people so far
Faulty Takata airbags have killed 27 people so far. Of those 18 are from the US. Hundreds of occupants have been injured as well. It behooves you to get your GM vehicle to the dealer once the replacements become available. GM has a recall center you can contact to find out of your vehicle is part of the recall. You just put in your vehicle’s VIN and if it is part of a recall, the fix is handled by the dealer for free, of course.
A first notice will soon be sent to owners apprising them of the recall and what it is about. Then a second one will be sent once replacement parts become available. This should happen beginning March 1.
As a side note; Takata went out of business back in 2018 after filing for bankruptcy. Chinese-owned Key Safety Systems bought all of Takata’s assets but does not produce airbags. It specializes in seatbelts and other safety equipment.
