GM Recall Over 500,000 Vehicles in Canada
GM has issued a recall affecting 544,000 vehicles in Canada because of faulty Takata airbags that could be dangerous to drivers and passengers when deployed.
Date of recall: November 23, 2020
Vehicles affected
This recall covers a variety of models, 544,000 of which are affected in Canada, plus about six million in the United States. All of the affected vehicles are the following SUVs and pickup trucks in the 2007-14 model years:
- Cadillac Escalade
- Cadillac Escalade ESV
- Cadillac Escalade EXT
- Chevrolet Avalanche
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- GMC Sierra 1500
- GMC Sierra 2500/3500
- GMC Yukon
- GMC Yukon XL
What’s the problem?
All of these vehicles have the same defective airbags manufactured by now-defunct Takata that led to over a dozen other recalls, including recent ones in 2020 from Nissan and Toyota and Honda. The problem with these airbags is specific to the passenger side, where they may deploy with too much force, possibly rupturing the inflator and hurling shrapnel at occupants inside upon impact in a crash. There’s also the chance the rupture could stop the airbag from fully inflating to begin with, leading to other potential injuries.
The cause of the issue is the amount of ammonium nitrate propellant used to trigger the deployment, which regulators found was too high to work safely. GM had petitioned to avoid this particular recall, but the National Highway Transportation System Administration (NHTSA) rejected the appeal, so GM will now comply and start the process.
The faulty Takata airbags have been responsible for 27 deaths worldwide, with 18 of those in the U.S., plus one confirmed fatality in Canada. Global injuries from the defect number in the hundreds.
What’s the fix?
GM will replace the airbag inflator or module with one made by another manufacturer. The repair and replacement will be done free of charge.
What do you do?
GM has yet to confirm when it will notify affected owners, but it will have to at some point in December 2020. The method is also unclear, though instructions by mail to bring it in for repair is likely, given GM’s past recalls.
Enter your GM VIN at this link to learn more about this recall and find out if there are other Service Actions related to your vehicle.
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