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General Motors is seeking to avoid the recalls related to Takata airbags that have plagued automakers such as Honda and Toyota.
GM filed a petition on September 2nd that was later made public requesting a delay in the recall. The petition made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asked the agency to delay a recall that was set to begin on December 31st. The concerned vehicles are full-size trucks and SUVs manufactured between 2007 and 2012.
GM is requesting the one-year delay in order to conduct a long-term aging study and fully analyze the service life of the inflators. The study would be conducted by GM and an outside firm.
The NHTSA has identified some 6.8 million vehicles that are equipped with Takata airbags that should be recalled. GM stated earlier that they do not believe there is a safety defect with the airbags, but had agreed to an initial recall.
In a securities filing, the automaker outlined the costs the recall would impose on the company. Replacing all 6.8 million Takata airbags could cost the company $870 million.
Tom Wilkenson, a GM spokesperson said that the company is still in talks with the agency. No repairs have begun on the affected vehicles.
GM is maintaining that the Takata inflators used in their vehicles have a unique design that poses no safety risk. Of 44,000 deployments in the manufacturer’s large pickups and SUVs, there have been no injuries.
Worldwide, upward of 100 million vehicles with Takata air bag inflators have been declared defective. They have been linked to 14 deaths and more than 100 injuries. The inflators can explode with too much force, causing metal shrapnel to spray into the passenger compartments.
If you have been injured by the deployment of a Takata airbag, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the law offices of John Foy & Associates and let the “Strong Arm” attorneys work for you. We can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today.
