General Motors (GM) petitioned regulators on Sept. 2 asking for a one-year delay on the recall of 980,000 trucks and SUVs with Takata airbags.
The joint consent order between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Takata allows carmakers to request a different recall schedule.
If the NHTSA allows the delay, GM says it would work with an outside firm to study the long-term safety of the airbags.
GM claims that the airbags in the one million vehicles in question are not a safety risk for drivers and passengers. The company asserts that these airbags do not have a safety defect and will not rupture because they have a unique design.
GM cited data from recent tests in which there were no airbag ruptures among the 44,00 airbags that were deployed.
GM could save hundreds of millions of dollars if it does not have to recall and repair these vehicles, according to securities filings.
An NHTSA spokesman declined to comment on GM’s petition, which is at odds with regulators’ position that all Takata airbag inflators that do not contain a drying agent must be recalled.
The vehicles that the NHTSA wants recalled include models years 2007-2012:
- GMC Yukon
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- GMC Sierra
- Chevrolet Silverado
Takata airbag inflators have caused more than 100 injuries and 14 deaths around the world. Also, 100 million vehicles with these airbags have been declared defective by safety regulators.
The ammonium nitrate inflators used in Takata airbags have been shown to violently explode and spray shrapnel
Approximately 65 million Takata airbag inflators have been recalled, making it the most complex automotive safety recall in history.
Have you been injured by a Takata airbag? A Takata airbag lawyer could help you recover compensation for your injuries. A skilled injury lawyer at Anderson Cummings offer a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your claim and learn your legal options.
Contact us today by calling (817) 920-9000 or filling out a Free Case Evaluation form.