[RahulNagaraj]

According to a media report, American regulators have announced that 52 million airbags manufactured by ARC and Delphi should be recalled. As per reports, the final decision on the recall will be reached after a soon-to-be-held public meeting.

As per a report, the recall includes all vehicles equipped with ARC-designed airbags produced between 2000 & 2018. These airbags allegedly have a manufacturing defect as per the National Highway Transport Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency states that the expansion of the airbag in case of an accident, also causes the excess welding slag to be blown off the inflator and onto the vehicle occupants - increasing the risk of grevious injury. NHTSA is said to have recommended a recall earlier, but ARC declined, claiming that the incident was so infrequent that it "did not support a finding that a defect exists".



NHTSA countered by stating, "Airbag inflators that rupture when commanded to deploy are plainly defective, as they both fail to protect vehicle occupants as they should and, themselves, pose an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death."

While ARC resisted a recall, at least four auto manufacturers for which it made airbags (as well as Delphi) have recalled their vehicles. This includes General Motors, which in May, agreed to fix nearly 1 million vehicles over the use of the airbag.

The report states that apart from GM, 11 other car brands also use these airbags in their vehicles. This includes Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Porsche, Stellantis, Toyota & Volkswagen.

NHTSA initially reported 67 million airbags to recall. However, the agency clarified that some automakers over-reported their numbers and that just 52 million airbags were in use, which should be recalled.

ARC and other interested parties will be offered an opportunity to present their cases before the NHTSA decides on whether or not a recall should be announced. The public hearing will be held on October 5th, 2023.

Source: CarScoops

Link to Team-BHP news

[NG_EV]

How will impact Indian cars? Can we ask for replacement of airbags?

[ecenandu]

Originally Posted by NG_EV

How will impact Indian cars? Can we ask for replacement of airbags?

I don't think any company in India will do it voluntarily, this happened in USA because of their strict laws.

Our Honda City(Dec 2008) got both Takata airbags replaced.

[Naetik30]

This is worrying my Hyundai has 6 airbags. Cant the Indian government forget about the BNCAP for a while and look at whats happening in the world?

[GrammarNazi]

This may sound grim, but I would just hope these 52 million airbags don't find a second home in the unregulated car markets like India, Africa or Latin America.

There is an obsession being displayed, of having 6 airbags. If these defective airbags were "certified" to be fit after repair, and put in certain markets on the cheap, then car makers will likely lap them up to be added to cars sold in 3rd world countries where there are no regulators as effective as the NHTSA.

As pointed above, India needs a regulator which protects consumers from extreme scenarios but yet it's realistically balanced in their approach.

If such a body sorts genuine concerns & addresses them fairly, it would build trust in the system and also help dissuade people from blindly trusting malicious alarmists.