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From the life-threatening irony department: General Motors is recalling almost a million SUVs due to a defect in their airbag inflators that could cause them to explode during airbag deployment after a crash, shooting metal fragments into the car’s interior and potentially causing injury or death to its occupants.
GM has voluntarily issued the recall “out of an abundance of caution” even as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is pressuring manufacturer ARC Automotive Inc. to recall 67 million airbag inflators after two people were killed by the defect, according to Fox Business.
Which GM SUVs are being recalled?
The following SUVs carry airbag inflators manufactured by the Tennessee-based ARC Automotive Inc. and are therefore affected by the airbag recall:
Buick Enclave (model years 2014-2017)Chevrolet Traverse (model years 2014-2017)GMC Acadia (model years 2014-2017)What to do if you have one of the recalled SUVs
If you have one of the SUVs mentioned above, you can get an airbag inflator replacement free of charge by taking your vehicle to a dealership. Until then, given the risk of a fatal airbag deployment, drive with extreme care: One of the deaths that prompted the recall occurred after a minor car accident that would have otherwise not resulted in a fatality. A Michigan mother was driving her 2015 Chevrolet Traverse when she got into a minor car accident that deployed the airbag. The inflator exploded and sent shrapnel into the car’s interior, hitting her neck and killing her, according to Fox Business’s accounting of the police report.
Owners can expect to be notified by mail after June 26, 2023. Alternatively, you can contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM’s number for this recall is N232404980.
Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go online for answers to their recall questions.
