GM recalls more vehicles with Takata airbag inflators that could explode
General Motors said Tuesday it is recalling almost 900 vehicles worldwide because the Takata-made airbag inflator may explode, potentially striking drivers and passengers with sharp metal fragments.
The vehicles included are 767 2013 models of the Chevrolet Camaro, Sonic and Volt; and the Buick Verano, in the United States; plus another 101 in Canada (including the Chevrolet TRAX) and 46 in other countries.
In May, the driver airbag inflator of a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro in Brazil ruptured when it was deployed, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Dealers will replace the driver-side airbag module for free, NHTSA said.
Millions of vehicles with airbags from Takata, the now-bankrupt Japanese manufacturer, are already under recall. NHTSA said that prolonged exposure to high heat and humidity cause those airbags to explode when deployed.
Takata airbags caused at least 26 deaths in the United States and left more than 400 occupants with injuries that included blinding and maiming. It's also the largest auto recall in history.
In 2020, the American carmaker spent $1.2 billion replacing Takata airbags in 7 million vehicles.
However, GM disputed the need for a recall for four years prior to 2020. It argued that its tests showed the airbags in these additional vehicles, which have a different kind of inflator than the devices in the earlier recall, did not pose a threat after it had already recalled 800,00 cars.