US to extend airbag probe rather than require vehicle recall (updated)

Autoliv

18/12/2024 23:09

(Adds NHTSA comments, details and background, paragraphs 3-12)

        * 
      Regulator seeks more details on airbag inflators'
technical
differences
    

        * 
      Automakers oppose recall, citing low risk and questioning
NHTSA's analysis
    

        * 
      GM, Stellantis among affected automakers, with millions of
vehicles that could be impacted
    

  
    By David Shepardson
       WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday it will not seek
an immediate recall of airbag inflators in about 50 million U.S.
vehicles assembled by 13 automakers and instead will conduct
further investigation.
The agency said in July it thought the vehicles posed serious
safety risks and was considering requiring a recall. The issue
has been linked to one U.S. fatality and seven injuries
following an eight-year government investigation.
    "NHTSA is specifically looking to gather more information on
the technical and engineering differences between the inflators
as installed into the manufacturers’ respective vehicles, as
well as differences in processes among the relevant factories
and manufacturing lines," the agency said on Wednesday.
NHTSA had argued at a hearing in October 2023 that inflators
produced by two airbag manufacturers, ARC Automotive and Delphi
Automotive, should be recalled because they may rupture and send
metal fragments flying. After automakers raised objections in
December 2023, the agency did not immediately finalize its
decision.
    "Common sense demands acknowledging that metal shrapnel
projecting at high speeds and causing injury or death presents
an unreasonable risk to safety," NHTSA said in July.
    Major automakers including General Motors  GM.N , Toyota
Motor  7203.T  and Volkswagen  VOWG_p.DE  and the two airbag
makers said in December 2023 that they opposed the NHTSA's bid
to seek recalls.
Reuters reported in October 2023 that at least 20 million GM
vehicles could be affected, while Stellantis  STLAM.MI  had 4.9
million vehicles with inflators at issue and had reported just
one rupture, in 2009.
    Automakers and manufacturers said the risks from the issue
were exceedingly small, questioning the agency's analysis and
rationale for seeking a recall.
    The inflators in question had been used in vehicles produced
from 2000 through early 2018 by 13 automakers including Jaguar
Land Rover, Ford  F.N , Mercedes-Benz  MBGn.DE , BMW  BMWG.DE ,
Hyundai  005380.KS , Kia  000270.KS  and Porsche.  
    NHTSA first called for a voluntary recall in May 2023, but
ARC rejected it.
GM, which in May 2023 recalled 1 million ARC inflators after a
rupture resulted in facial injuries to a driver, said last
December that a recall would affect "as much as 15% of the over
300 million registered motor vehicles in the United States."    
    Delphi Automotive, part of Autoliv  ALV.N , manufactured
approximately 11 million of the inflators through 2004 under a
licensing agreement with ARC, which manufactured the remaining
40 million.
     
     

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Matthew
Lewis)
((mailto:David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 2028988324;))