https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2019/06/19/gm-avoid-takata-recall/1499446001/
Does anyone know how this even works? Not recalling potentially deadly airbags that led to the supplier's bankruptcy?
7 replies (most recent on top)
How did GM "prove" that defective airbag inflators dont affect airbag performance?
If that's true, why is ANY car company doing expensive recalls?
Don’t be so dramatic. They are saying that in the GMT900 vehicles, all of the testing and analysis and actual reports from the field shows these airbags function properly.
Not necessarily, see explanation below.
Well... we're talking about the same company that tangled itself up in the ignition recall scandal and remained in denial after several deaths. What different should we expect this time!?
When the suppliers themselves say their certain part is bad and must be recalled, it's inarguably a safety issue.
High time for new leadership immediately.
The supplier of the airbags, Takata, notified the feds of a defect that could, under certain conditions, result in a rupture of the air bag module. Those airbags were used in many different vehicles. Each of those vehicle manufacturers then notified the National Highway Traffic safety Administration (NHTSA) which of their specific vehicles used those airbags.
Then came years of testing, data collection and analysis by not only GM, but other vehicle manufacturers and independent organizations.
Based on that huge amount of data and work, GM followed the method allowed under the Safety Act to request that they not have to recall certain vehicles. These type of requests, which many manufacturers file for various described “defects,” basically state that although there is technically a potential problem with some vehicles, there is very little or no chance that a problem will actually occur, or if it does occur, it is not a safety concern.
So in this case of the airbags, the argument is that based on the specific design and operating conditions of these GM vehicles, the airbag problem will not occur. They cite an extensive amount of testing comparing the airbags in these vehicles to others that seem to support their position.
These requests to be exempt from the recall requirements are not taken lightly, but are thoroughly analyzed by NHTSA prior to a determination being made.
If people don't crash their cars it doesn't matter if they're replaced.