Feds Take Next Step In Investigation Of 52 Million Non-Takata Airbag Inflators

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has scheduled a public hearing to discuss its initial decision to recall airbag inflators manufactured by ARC Automotive and Delphi. From the initial 67 million inflators determined last May, the number has been lowered to 52 million.

According to the agency, the airbag inflators are susceptible to rupturing. It may result from the weld slag produced by the friction welding manufacturing process that can cause a blockage during deployment. In turn, metal debris could be ejected into the cabin, posing safety risks.

"These airbag inflators may rupture when the vehicle's airbag is commanded to deploy, causing metal debris to be forcefully ejected into the passenger compartment of the vehicle," said NTHSA.

"A rupturing air bag inflator poses an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death to vehicle occupants."

The NHTSA said 12 vehicle manufacturers are potentially involved in the recall: BMW, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Stellantis, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

Out of the 52 million inflators, ARC manufactured 41 million from 2000 through January 2018, while Delphi produced the remaining 11 million under a licensing agreement with ARC.

The initial decision to recall 67 million inflators was defied by ARC Automotive, saying there wasn't sufficient evidence of an actual defect. However, the agency reported at least seven people have been injured, and the faulty inflators in the US have killed one person.

The letter released last May also prompted GM to recall close to a million units of 2014 to 2017 model year Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles.

The public hearing will be held on October 5 at NHTSA's headquarters in Washington, DC.

If the agency concludes the inflators unsafe, a recall should be ordered, which could be one of the biggest safety recalls in automotive history, along with Takata. In 2017, the Japanese automotive parts company filed for bankruptcy, agreeing to pay $1 billion in fines. ARC and Delphi would be wise to comply lest they face similar penalties.