General Motors announces recall of 400,000 vehicles for defective airbags

General Motors revealed last weekend that it had recalled 410,019 vehicles, and these are the 2015 and 2016 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup truck model units. The American automaker cited the airbags as the reason for the call back.

The issue with the installed airbag

General Motors stated that the side airbags in the mentioned affected vehicle models are not safe for drivers and passengers. As per USA Today, further indicated that the GMC Sierra pickups are 1500, 2500, and 3500 truck models.

Based on the documents that were released by the U.S. safety regulators, the airbag inflator in the GM vehicles may burst, or the end cap may fly off on both sides of the trucks, and apparently, the driver or passengers could be hit when this happens.

It was added that the recall for the General Motors’ vehicles was issued after three inflators blew out in 2015 Silverados last month. The affected units were from Florida and two in Texas.

Fortunately, all the trucks were not in use when the incident happened, and so far, there is no report of injury yet. But then again, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) warned that even if there have been no casualties in the incidents, the rupture may easily lead to a crash if the vehicle is on the road.

Moreover, this issue with the airbag may be similar to the Takata airbags, but it was said that the airbags in the affected General Motors vehicles were not made by the Japanese brand. Rather, it was from Joyson Safety Systems, a Mexican company.

GM’s voluntary recall for certain Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado models

General Motors issued a voluntary recall announcement after the NHTSA brought up the issue with the airbags. The company explained that the rupture could be triggered by the heater cord or terminals that connect the cable to the block heater. It was said that coolant can leak from the block heater and may come in contact with the cable terminals, which could cause a fire.

“In mid-June 2021, a RRAB inflator in three 2015 model year Silverado vehicles - one in Florida and two in Texas - ruptured while the vehicle was unoccupied and not in use,” The Hill quoted the NHTSA as saying in the safety recall report. “In all three inflators, the steel inflator-body sidewall split open, suddenly releasing the gas stored inside the chamber. GM became aware of these three incidents on June 15, June 21, and June 22nd.”