Think airbag recalls were behind us? Brace yourself for another major one hitting the US, and this time, Takata isn’t involved. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is poised to recall 49 million vehicles due to a defect found in 51 million airbag inflators manufactured by ARC Automotive and Delphi. This flaw poses a risk of injury or even death.
A supplemental initial decision released by the NHTSA on July 31 confirms findings from September last year, solidifying the need for a recall. The defect has been linked to nine injuries and two fatalities since 2009, including cases reported in Saudi Arabia and Canada.
Similar to the issues with Takata airbags, the ARC and Delphi inflators—Delphi having produced them under license until 2004—are susceptible to over-pressurization and rupture. This defect is attributed to the friction welding process, which can produce blockage materials or insufficient weld bonds, leading to dangerous metal shrapnel in the cabin. Loose debris may obstruct the exit orifice during deployment, causing the over-pressurization.
These faulty hybrid toroidal inflators were manufactured from 2000 until the automated borescope was fully implemented by June 2018. They were installed in vehicles from BMW, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Stellantis, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen. The NHTSA noted that while most inflators won’t rupture, the evidence suggests that all affected inflators are at risk due to the same manufacturing process.
Some manufacturers, including BMW, Ford, and Volkswagen, have already initiated smaller recalls, and GM has recalled nearly one million vehicles. However, the NHTSA believes a broader recall is necessary due to the varied production periods and lines involved.
Both ARC and some automakers, like Stellantis, argue that the low rupture rate does not justify a widespread recall, but the NHTSA contends that any potential rupture could result in severe injury or death.