Automakers and Suppliers Unhappy with Proposed NHTSA Air Bag Inflator Recall

Ten automakers and an automotive supplier have united with ARC Automotive to oppose the proposed recall of 52 million ARC Automotive air bag inflators by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall was demanded in April after an eight-year investigation by NHTSA, which covers inflators produced from 2000 through January 2018.

The automakers disputing NHTSA’s recall include General Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Porsche, Ford, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Autoliv. GM, having previously recalled over 1 million ARC air bag inflators, has expressed concerns about NHTSA’s decision, stating that it fails to meet the agency’s technical and procedural standards and does not demonstrate that an expansion of the existing ARC inflator recalls is legally required or would enhance public safety.

According to the automakers, NHTSA’s decision seems to be based on a small number of inflator ruptures and air bag deployment failures, and also neglects to consider the various inflator models, propellant loads, and dimensions produced by two different manufacturers on three continents. GM also asserts that NHTSA failed to provide sufficient evidence and documents to support its initial decision.

ARC Automotive has also disagreed with NHTSA’s decision, arguing that the seven field ruptures do not necessarily indicate a systemic fault among the 52 million subject driver and passenger inflators due to the diversity of the inflators produced over an 18-year period.

Many of the automakers mentioned that they have not found any evidence of inflator ruptures in the vehicles they produced, and some have proposed to conduct their own monitoring and analysis of the inflators to assess any possible defects. Autoliv, the automotive supplier, has stated that none of the air bag inflators it manufactured or acquired from ARC are defective.

The timing of NHTSA’s final decision on the recall is unclear. However, earlier this week, the agency’s Acting Administrator Ann Carlson announced her plans to step down from her role by the end of January.

In conclusion, the automakers and supplier have joined ARC Automotive in disputing NHTSA’s proposed air bag inflator recall, highlighting various issues with the decision. They have emphasized the need for a comprehensive analysis and evidence to support the recall, as well as the consideration of the potential consequences of the extensive recall. The dispute continues, with pending decisions on the matter yet to be made by NHTSA.