20 Million Cars May Be Subject to Recall

(AmericanProsperity.com) – According to a Wall Street Journal October 5 report, General Motors currently has over 20 million vehicles with a potentially dangerous part of an airbag that the US government says needs to be recalled before more people are killed or injured. The newspaper pointed out that the number of GM vehicles that have been affected by this airbag problem represents a problem for the company, as auto-safety regulators are pushing for the recall of 52 million airbag inflators. These were designed by ARC Automotive, which is one of the most important auto suppliers and is based in Tennessee.

While the number of affected vehicles remains unclear, some media outlets have reported that these air-bag inflators tend to explode with extreme force when crashing. This explosion sends metal shrapnel flying and hitting the vehicle’s occupants in their neck and face with shards. So far, this has killed two people and severely injured many others.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hasn’t released the exact number of GM vehicles that would be covered by a recall. It hasn’t said which exact models would be impacted by this move either. Different reports have pointed out that, depending on how this agency proceeds, the number of GM trucks and cars that have this inflator issue could be higher.

Back in April, this agency sent a letter to ARC Automotive where it demanded the recall of these inflators. The Tennessee-based auto supplier refused the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s request, which resulted in the regulatory agency having to schedule a hearing. ARC Automotive said through its lawyer that the auto supplier will make a statement during this hearing.

As reported by the Journal, the auto supplier has been claiming recently that numerous tests show not a single defect in the inflators, and has even said that the cases of air-bag ruptures are isolated. Aside from GM, other major automakers that have the ARC Automotive air-bag inflators covered by the agency’s action include Volkswagen, Hyundai Motor, Toyota Motor, and Ford Motor.