Millions of GM Vehicles Recalled
General Motors has recalled 7 million SUVs and pickups worldwide. The vehicles are equipped with airbags manufactured by Takata – the same company whose airbags have been linked to at least 17 fatalities in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered the new GM recall on November 23, 2020, after rejecting an argument made by GM that the version of the airbag used in the affected vehicles was not unsafe and did not require replacement.
Dangerous Takata Airbags
This latest GM recall is related to defects in the airbags manufactured by Takata, a Japanese company that is now bankrupt. The defect has caused airbags to explode and spray shrapnel throughout the vehicle. In addition to the 17 U.S. deaths referenced above, the airbag ruptures have also resulted in injuries to vehicle occupants – some have even been maimed or blinded.
The first Takata airbag recalls began more than six years ago, in 2014. The Takata recalls became the largest automotive recall in history. Before the recent GM announcement, the recall had already reached 63 million airbags in approximately 40 million vehicles within the U.S.
Prior GM Recall
GM previously recalled close to 800,000 vehicles that were equipped with Takata airbags but presented an argument that the airbags within these additional vehicles had a different inflator than that found in the earlier recalled devices. GM argued that the distinction meant that the airbags in this set of vehicles did not pose a threat. After a four year dispute, the NHTSA rejected GM’s argument, and a recall of 5.9 million U.S. vehicles was ordered.
The argument presented by GM was rejected after NHTSA concluded that the inflators in question within this set of vehicles posed the same explosion risk that was present in the other Takata inflators. The risk is present after extended exposure to humidity and high heat.
GM Does Not Agree But Will Comply
GM indicated it would comply with the recall of the 5.9 million vehicles in the U.S. and an additional 1.1 million in other parts of the world. The company continued to assert that the newly recalled airbags do not pose a risk, and despite their planned compliance, believe the action is unwarranted.
This new recall will cost GM an estimated $1.2 billion, as stated in the company’s most recent annual financial report. GM will have to pay those costs itself since Takata has gone bankrupt.
Repairs at No Cost to GM Owners
GM owners will receive notifications if their vehicle is part of the recall. They can also enter their VIN number at the NHTSA’s recall site. Repairs necessitated by the NHTSA action will be performed at no cost to the vehicle owners, and there is no deadline to have the affected vehicles repaired. Despite the lack of conditions for vehicle owners, the earlier GM recall of more than six years ago has resulted in only around 75% of the affected vehicles being brought in for repairs.
The recent GM recall covers the following vehicles, model years 2007 to 2014:
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Avalanche
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Yukon
Watch the YouTube video: CBS News reports on the latest GM recall.
Sacramento Defective Airbag Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento defective airbag attorney. Negligence of all kinds can lead to injuries and death. If you have been harmed by negligence – either by a defective product or by the carelessness of another driver, the injury lawyers at my firm are available to offer compassionate, free, and friendly advice. Give us a call at (916) 921-6400, or our toll-free line: (800) 404-5400. We also have an online contact form, if you prefer.
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/crash-test-collision-60-km-h-1620608/
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