The Takata airbag recall may widen even further than the millions of vehicles involved currently. GM is asking regulators to give them a one-year delay in the recall of some 1 million vehicles.
GM states that these airbag models are free of the risks that have caused similar airbags to explode at high force, sending debris flying into the passenger compartment.
Back in August, reports indicated that as many as 100 injuries and 14 fatalities had been caused by the Takata airbags.
On September 16, GM went in front of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and said that internal testing proves that the inflators used for the airbags are safe from the possibility of rupture.
GM deployed the airbag inflator in 44,000 vehicles and underlines the fact that none have ruptured.
However, there is the concern of what happens as the inflator ages. GM has enlisted the help of an outside entity to complete those tests. These tests will take about a year to complete.
NHTSA ordered that all vehicles with airbags that used ammonium nitrate as a propellant be recalled.
For GM, this means the real possibility of 980,000 SUV’s and full-size pickups would have to be recalled by year’s end. The automaker wants to push the deadline until the end of 2017 to complete testing.
The NHTSA found that fluctuating high temperatures, time, and exposure to moisture can cause the ammonium nitrate to become unstable. When the perfect storm of conditions is met, the Takata inflators can explode. This results in sending debris into the passenger cabin, often causing injury and death.
If you have an affected GM SUV or full-size pickup truck with a Takata airbag and have been injured, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the “Strong Arm” attorneys at John Foy & Associates to discuss your case. We may be able to get you the compensation that you deserve. Contact us today.