The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has granted General Motors’ (GM) request to delay recalls of 2.5 million trucks and SUVs equipped with faulty Takata airbags. These defective devices have been linked to 16 deaths worldwide, including 11 in the U.S.
GM has a deadline of Aug. 31, 2017, to prove the airbags in question are safe. If the company is successful, the NHTSA might cancel the recall.
The recall would apply to various 2007-2011 model year trucks and SUVs, including the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and the GMC Sierra pickup.
Some of these vehicles are more than six years old, the minimum amount of time it takes for Takata airbag inflators to deteriorate and pose a risk to drivers and passengers, according to NHTSA tests.
However, GM claims it has test results showing the airbags in these vehicles are safe for at least 3.5 more years. GM claims these airbags are not the same as those linked to 16 deaths and more than 100 injuries.
Further testing could help GM avoid several recalls affecting 6.8 million trucks and SUVs. Going through with the recalls would cost the company approximately $870 million, according to a company filing with securities regulators.
Approximately 70 million cars have been recalled in the U.S. because they are equipped with defective Takata airbags, making this the largest auto safety recall in the nation’s history.
Takata airbag inflators use ammonium nitrate to deploy airbags in an accident. It was discovered the chemical can break down in hot, humid climates, causing it to burn too quickly, blowing its container apart and sending shrapnel into the passenger compartment.
If you were severely injured or a loved one was killed due to a faulty Takata airbag, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Our Cincinnati Takata airbag recall lawyers have the experience and skill to fight for fair compensation for your injuries.