LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — The auto industry faces scrutiny as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reaffirmed its stance on July 31 that over 50 million air bag inflators are hazardous and should be recalled. This decision affects millions of vehicles produced by thirteen automakers, including Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co.

The NHTSA’s determination cites airbag inflators manufactured by Tennessee-based ARC Automotive Inc. and another unnamed parts producer. Despite pushback from automakers, the agency maintains that these inflators are prone to dangerous explosions, potentially hurling shrapnel into the vehicle cabin, posing a serious risk to occupants. 

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Since 2009, this defect has resulted in at least seven injuries and two fatalities in the United States and Canada, as reported by NHTSA.

The evidence presented by the NHTSA is compelling: seven field ruptures in the U.S., 23 failures in testing, and four additional ruptures abroad, resulting in at least one fatality. The root cause appears to be a flaw in the friction welding process, leading to insufficient welds and excessive pressure buildup within the inflator canisters. When these canisters fail, the results can be catastrophic, transforming a life-saving device into a deadly hazard.

“To be sure, the overwhelming majority of the subject inflators will not rupture upon deployment,” NHSTA said, as reported by The Detroit News. “However, based on the evidence linking past ruptures to the same friction welding process, all of the subject inflators are at risk of rupturing.”

Despite these findings, several automakers have voiced concerns about the NHTSA’s findings, arguing that no definitive safety defect has been established. They asserted that none of the millions of inflators in their vehicles have failed in a manner consistent with the NHTSA’s concerns (The Detroit News). For instance, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) argued that since a 2009 incident involving a Chrysler Town and Country minivan, there have been no further ruptures in their vehicles. 

Nonetheless, the NHTSA contends that the only definitive way to identify which inflators might fail is through deployment in a crash, which is unacceptable under the federal motor vehicle safety act. The agency emphasized that the potential risk warrants a recall, as allowing the defect to remain unaddressed could lead to further injuries or fatalities.

The NHTSA will open another 30-day comment period before making a final decision on the recall. If necessary, the government may sue ARC Automotive to enforce the recall.