UNITED STATES NEWS

US takes step to force recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel

Sep 5, 2023, 10:19 AM

FILE - The ARC Automotive manufacturing plant in Knoxville, Tenn. is shown on July 14, 2015. (Adam ...

FILE - The ARC Automotive manufacturing plant in Knoxville, Tenn. is shown on July 14, 2015. (Adam Lau/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Adam Lau/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, File)

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government is taking a big step toward forcing a defiant Tennessee company to recall 52 million air bag inflators that could explode, hurl shrapnel and injure or kill people.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday said it has made an initial decision that the inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc., and under license by another company, are defective. The agency scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 5, a required step before seeking a court-ordered recall.

In May the agency asked ARC to recall the inflators, which it says are responsible for at least seven injuries and two deaths in the U.S. and Canada since 2009. But ARC has refused to issue a full-scale recall, setting the stage for the possible court fight.

Messages were left Tuesday seeking comment from ARC. The company maintains that no safety defect exists, that NHTSA’s demand is based on a hypothesis rather than technical conclusions, and that the agency has no authority to order a parts manufacturer to announce recalls.

NHTSA is trying to force ARC to recall inflators in driver and passenger front air bags from at least a dozen automakers. Neither ARC nor the auto industry has released a full list of vehicle models with the kind of air bag inflators that have exploded. But at least 33 million of the 284 million vehicles on U.S. roads are believed to contain them.

Owners of vehicles made by at least a dozen automakers — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Ford, Toyota, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Hyundai and Kia — are left to wonder anxiously whether their vehicles contain driver or front passenger inflators made by ARC.

Though ARC is resisting a full-scale recall, automakers have conducted seven smaller recalls of inflators since 2017 that were attributed to isolated manufacturing problems. Those recalls included one that General Motors announced in May involving nearly 1 million vehicles.

United States News

Associated Press

Former US Sen. Dick Clark, an Iowa Democrat known for helping Vietnam War refugees, has died at 95

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Dick Clark, a Democrat who unexpectedly won a single term representing Iowa in the 1970s after campaigning by walking around the state, and who later played a key role in aiding refugees after the Vietnam War, has died. He was 95. Clark died Wednesday at his home […]

11 minutes ago

FILE - A road cuts through a flooded area south of Perry, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane ...

Associated Press

Florida agriculture losses between $78M and $371M from Hurricane Idalia, preliminary estimate says

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida agriculture losses from Hurricane Idalia are estimated at between $78 million and $371 million, with producers also suffering widespread damage to such infrastructure as irrigation rigs and fences, according to a preliminary report Thursday from the University of Florida. The Category 3 hurricane came ashore Aug. 30 along Florida’s […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Senate confirms new army chief as one senator’s objection holds up other military nominations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is confirming three of the Pentagon’s top leaders, filling the posts after monthslong delays and as a Republican senator is still holding up hundreds of other nominations and promotions for military officers. Gen. Randy George was confirmed as Army Chief of Staff on Thursday, and Gen. Eric Smith is expected […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Biden says Norfolk Southern must be held accountable for Ohio derailment but won’t declare disaster

President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies to continue holding Norfolk Southern accountable for its February derailment in eastern Ohio and appoint a FEMA official to oversee East Palestine’s recovery, but he still stopped short of declaring a disaster. Biden issued the executive order Wednesday evening. Part of the order essentially directed the environmental, health and […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office can’t account for nearly 200 guns, city comptroller finds

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office can’t account for 185 missing guns, according to a report released this week by the city controller’s office. Some of the missing guns were part of the sheriff’s office’s arsenal and others were confiscated from people subject to protection-from-abuse orders. Acting City Controller Charles Edacheril said his office […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Rupert Murdoch attends the WSJ. Magazine 2017 Innovator Awards at The Museum of Modern Art i...

Associated Press

Rupert Murdoch, creator of Fox News, stepping down as head of News Corp. and Fox Corp.

Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old media magnate who created Fox News, is stepping down as leader of both Fox's parent company and his News Corp. media holdings.

5 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

Sanderson Ford...

Sanderson Ford

Sanderson Ford congratulates D-backs’ on drive to great first half of 2023

The Arizona Diamondbacks just completed a red-hot first half of the major league season, and Sanderson Ford wants to send its congratulations to the ballclub.

...

Ability360

At Ability360, every day is Independence Day

With 100 different programs and services, more than 1,500 non-medically based home care staff, a world-renowned Sports & Fitness Center and over 15,000 people with disabilities served annually, across all ages and demographics, Ability360 is a nationwide leader in the disability community.

US takes step to force recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel