Photo: Chevrolet
In July 2015, following two injury incidents attributed to exploding front driver airbag inflators, the Office of Defects Investigation opened a preliminary evaluation of ARC Automotive. One incident involved a 2002 model year Chrysler Town & Country with a dual-stage inflator, while the other involved a 2004 model year Kia Optima with a single-stage inflator.
Both airbags were manufactured by the tier-two supplier in Knoxville, Tennessee. During the course of the preliminary evaluation, the federal watchdog required ARC Automotive to disclose what other automakers use their airbags. The company was much obliged to answer Hyundai and GM.
Fast forward to July 2016, and the Office of Defects Investigation was informed by Transport Canada of a fatal incident involving a driver airbag rupture in a 2009 model year Hyundai Elantra. Largely the same design as the single-stage airbag used in the aforementioned 2014 Kia Optima, this airbag was manufactured in China. The Elantra for the U.S. market, on the other hand, uses ARC Automotive airbag inflators manufactured stateside.
Next up, General Motor received a claim letter from an attorney representing the owner of a 2015 model year Chevrolet Traverse in November 2021. The claimant alleged that the front driver airbag inflator ruptured during a crash, which is precisely what airbags shouldn’t do in this event. The biggest of the Big Three in Detroit inspected the vehicle in March 2022, and come April, the Safety and Field Action Decision Authority decided to conduct a recall of certain 2015 model year vehicles fitted with this inflator design.
As the headline implies, the previous-generation Chevrolet Traverse is joined by the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave to the tune of 2,687 vehicles. Dealers will replace the airbag module with a remedy component that hopefully won’t rupture in the case of an airbag deployment. Owner notifications will be mailed on May 30th as per the attached recall report.
Fast forward to July 2016, and the Office of Defects Investigation was informed by Transport Canada of a fatal incident involving a driver airbag rupture in a 2009 model year Hyundai Elantra. Largely the same design as the single-stage airbag used in the aforementioned 2014 Kia Optima, this airbag was manufactured in China. The Elantra for the U.S. market, on the other hand, uses ARC Automotive airbag inflators manufactured stateside.
Next up, General Motor received a claim letter from an attorney representing the owner of a 2015 model year Chevrolet Traverse in November 2021. The claimant alleged that the front driver airbag inflator ruptured during a crash, which is precisely what airbags shouldn’t do in this event. The biggest of the Big Three in Detroit inspected the vehicle in March 2022, and come April, the Safety and Field Action Decision Authority decided to conduct a recall of certain 2015 model year vehicles fitted with this inflator design.
As the headline implies, the previous-generation Chevrolet Traverse is joined by the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave to the tune of 2,687 vehicles. Dealers will replace the airbag module with a remedy component that hopefully won’t rupture in the case of an airbag deployment. Owner notifications will be mailed on May 30th as per the attached recall report.
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