The American automobile industry is set to face another industry-wide airbag recall, putting 51 million cars and several manufacturers in a difficult position. On Wednesday, July 31, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a notice stating that defective parts from airbags manufactured by ARC Automotive Inc. and the former Delphi Automotive Systems LLC could explode in the event of an accident.
NHTSA investigators have pointed fingers at the airbag inflators, claiming that they have the potential to explode and send shrapnel hurtling towards the vehicle’s occupants. Testing found that certain airbag inflators had either too few welds or too much pressure in the canisters because a vent was blocked during the welding process. Since 2009, the agency claims that the faulty inflators have resulted in two fatalities and seven injuries in the US and Canada.
The agency has made attempts in the past to force these two manufacturers to issue recalls. Back in September 2023, the NHTSA had advised the two to do a recall, but ARC Automotive had not responded. Delphi Automotive, on the other hand, is no longer an independent firm after selling its airbag business to Sweden’s Autoliv. The NHTSA is apparently in the process of verifying which entity is legally responsible for the company.
