NHTSA Moves Forward with Potentially Second-Largest Auto Recall in U.S. History
Despite automakers’ objections, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is maintaining its condemnation of airbag inflators produced by ARC Automotive and Delphi Automotive and may soon seek to enforce the second-largest recall in U.S. history, reports Reuters.
NHTSA first shared its concerns at an October hearing, where it was argued all 51 million airbag inflators–used in 49 million U.S. vehicles by 13 different automakers–should be recalled. Though NHTSA called for a voluntary recall of the inflators in May 2023, ARC didn’t issue any.
The agency has cited the inflators as being prone to rupturing and shooting metal fragments. An eight-year investigation the agency conducted found one fatality and seven injuries having occurred as a result of the airbag inflators.
NHTSA has had yet to finalize its decision on recalling the airbag inflators, following protest from automakers back in December–but that may soon change, as the agency yesterday told automakers they have 30 days to respond before it will pursue a formal demand for recalls.
The inflators have been used in vehicles manufactured from 2000 through early 2018, and a recall of them is opposed by General Motors, Toyota Motor, Volkswagen, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, and Porsche. They, along with the airbag inflator manufacturers, have asserted that the risk is too minimal to warrant such a large recall.
