The massive recall of deadly Takata airbag inflators continues to spread to newer vehicles, this time affecting a small number of 2015 General Motors cars and SUVs. Langdon & Emison is handling cases nationwide involving defective Takata airbags.
GM is recalling more than 400 vehicles equipped with airbag inflators that could rupture and shoot shrapnel through the vehicle cabin, according to multiple media reports. The faulty inflators have been linked to eight deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide.
The latest recall includes certain 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, Malibu and Camaro models as well as the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS and GMC Terrain. In a report to NHTSA, GM said that on Oct. 5, one side airbag inflator exploded with excessive force in testing at a Takata plant in Mexico.
The GM announcement is the latest in an ever-expanding recall that appears to have no end. According to ABC News, federal regulators have warned that more manufacturers and newer models are likely to be recalled.
To date, about 19.2 million U.S. vehicles, sold by 11 different automakers and equipped with Takata driver and passenger side airbags, have been recalled.
The defective inflators use ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion that inflates the airbags in a crash, according to ABC News. When exposed to high temperatures for prolonged periods, the chemical can degrade inside the inflators, causing it to burn too fast and blow apart a metal canister designed to contain the explosion.
The GM recall is the second report of side airbag inflators rupturing in newer models. In June, the left side airbag inflator in a Volkswagen Tiguan exploded with too much force during a crash near St. Louis.
Contact Langdon & Emison
Langdon & Emison represents clients nationwide in cases involving defective airbags, including those manufactured by Japan-based Takata Corp. To work with us or for a free case evaluation, contact our firm at 866-931-2115 or click here.