NHTSA Grants General Motors’ Request to Delay Airbag Recall

In an unusual move, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided to allow General Motors (GM) to delay the recall of millions of trucks and SUVs with defective Takata airbags.

In September, GM requested a one-year delay of the recall so it could work with an outside firm to study the long-term safety of Takata airbags in these vehicles. At the time, the auto manufacturer claimed the inflators in these airbags were not the same as the ones linked to 11 U.S. deaths and more than 100 injuries.

If GM can prove the airbags in these vehicles are safe by Aug. 31, 2017, regulators could decide to cancel the recall. If GM is unsuccessful, it will have to recall 2.5 million model year 2007-2011 trucks and SUVs, including:

NHTSA tests indicate Takata-airbag-equipped vehicles more than six years old pose a risk to drivers and passengers, as six years is when Takata airbag inflators are suspected to begin to deteriorate. When the inflators deteriorate the ammonium nitrate propellant can burn too fast, causing airbags to rupture and spray shrapnel when they deploy in car accidents.

GM says its airbags are safe for an additional 3.5 years or more, according to tests it has conducted. Further testing could prevent the recall of these vehicles plus another four million trucks and SUVs with the Takata airbag inflators in question. The total cost of all of GM’s Takata recalls could be approximately $870 million.

The Takata airbag recall is the largest car safety recall in the nation’s history, affecting approximately 70 million cars.

If you suffered a severe injury or lost a loved one because of a Takata airbag, you need help from a skilled attorney. The Takata airbag recall lawyers at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP offer a free consultation to find out if you can file a lawsuit. A Fort Worth personal injury attorney from our firm may be able to obtain fair compensation for the damages you have suffered.

Contact our skilled attorneys at (817) 920-9000 to schedule a free consultation.