Back in late 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a query into air bag inflators supplied by ARC Automotive Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee following the filing of a lawsuit claiming those units were defective, not to mention a handful of injuries and even deaths that occurred as a result. It was believed that around 50 million vehicles built from 2002 and 2017 were impacted, including some from The Blue Oval itself. Now, however, it seems as if those models won’t be recalled for their defective airbags – at least, not yet.
According to the Associated Press, the NHTSA won’t be pursuing a recall for ARC airbags at this time, citing comments from automakers regarding the differences between the inflators used in vehicles equipped with those units, as well as variations in the manufacturing process. “Given the potential relevance of these issues to the agency’s decision making, including the appropriate scope of any recall, further investigation is warranted,” the agency said. “NHTSA will evaluate the responses to these information request along with all available information to determine how to proceed. If appropriate, NHTSA will provide a further opportunity for public comment prior to considering whether to issue a final decision in this matter.”
To date, the NHTSA is aware of at least seven injuries and two deaths that have occurred in the U.S. and Canada after ARC airbags exploded and sent shrapnel into drivers and passengers of those vehicles. Regardless, though it isn’t issuing a recall at this time, the NHTSA notes that it will seek more information before making a final determination on this problem. “To be sure, the overwhelming majority of the subject inflators will not rupture upon deployment,” NHSTA wrote in July. “However, based on the evidence linking past ruptures to the same friction welding process, all of the subject inflators are at risk of rupturing.”
As Ford Authority previously reported, the issue with ARC’s inflators stems from the presence of ammonium nitrate, which is utilized as a secondary propellant to inflate the airbags. That propellant is pressed into tablets that can, when exposed to moisture, develop tiny holes, enlarging their surface area, which can cause them to burn too fast and cause a larger-than-expected explosion that can blow apart a metal canister housing the chemical at such a violent rate that metal shards can be sent flying through the cabin.
Comment
NHTSA more worried about two deaths in 12 years than thousands of driver blinded by trucks lights unadjusted and too bright. Plus the 40 inch tires sticking out past the wheel wells 5 to 7 inches sand blasting our cars with sand and gravel on the highway.