52 million defective ARC Automotive airbag inflators

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【Summary】NHTSA declares 52 million ARC Automotive airbag inflators defective due to the risk of ruptures causing metal debris to be ejected into the vehicle. ARC rejects the demand for a recall and claims the issue was addressed in subsequent recalls. NHTSA believes the ruptures are caused by welding process debris. Automakers have initiated eight recalls, and there have been seven incidents and two deaths reported.

FutureCar Staff Sep 06, 2023 9:16 AM PT

52 million defective ARC Automotive airbag inflators

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a warning regarding airbag inflators manufactured by ARC, a Tier 2 supplier based in Knoxville, Tennessee. According to the agency, these inflators have the potential to rupture when the vehicle's airbag is deployed, resulting in the forceful ejection of metal debris into the passenger compartment. This poses a significant risk of serious injury or death to vehicle occupants.

In May, NHTSA publicly demanded that ARC recall 67 million airbag inflators produced through January 2018, which the agency has tentatively concluded to be defective. However, ARC rejected this demand, stating that it strongly disagrees with NHTSA's assessment of a safety defect. The company believes that the ruptures were caused by one-off manufacturing anomalies, which were subsequently addressed by automakers in their own recalls.

NHTSA, on the other hand, disputes ARC's claim and believes that the ruptures may be a result of weld slag produced during the friction welding manufacturing process. The agency explains that if weld slag of sufficient size becomes dislodged, it can block the inflator exit orifice during airbag deployment. This blockage can lead to over pressurization and rupture of the inflator, potentially propelling shrapnel or metal fragments into the passenger compartment.

Since the investigation into ARC began in 2015, several automakers, including BMW, Ford, and Volkswagen, have initiated eight recalls to address potential safety defects with ARC airbag inflators. General Motors recently recalled nearly 1 million vehicles equipped with these inflators, including certain models of Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia.

NHTSA's investigation has identified at least nine incidents globally, seven of which occurred in the U.S., involving ruptured ARC airbag inflators. These incidents, dating from 2009 to as recently as March, have resulted in seven injuries and two deaths. The agency warns that if the inflators are not recalled and replaced, more serious injuries and deaths are expected to occur in the future.