GM Vehicle Recall Shows Gaps in Airbag Knowledge

GM Engineers Reveal They Knew Little About Airbag Properties Related to Vehicle Recall

Last month, federal safety regulators told Congress that airbags in GM cars should have had 60 seconds to deploy after the engine stalled. Engine stalling was caused by ignition switch problems, which led to a massive vehicle recall covering 2.6 million cars so far, which began in February of this year.

However, after looking into the 13 deaths and 31 injuries that finally led to the older model vehicle recall, federal safety regulators said that they were wrong about GM’s airbag deployment – the safety feature only had enough reserve power to sense a crash and deploy the airbags for 150 milliseconds after the engine stalled.

Airbag systems in vehicles are complex, and their specifics vary widely between car manufacturers. Federal safety standards require the car’s computer to sense where the crash occurred and whether or not airbag deployment would do more harm than good in 15 to 20 milliseconds.

“It’s very complicated, the logic behind it. It makes it very, very difficult for an automaker or supplier to explain why it did or didn’t go off in a certain situation,” said Joe Nolan, senior vice president for vehicle research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a group funded by the insurance industry that performs crash tests and other research.

In the case of GM’s airbags, the ignition switch problems would cause the engine to stall, which created insufficient resistance in the event of a crash. Several computerized systems, including the airbags, power steering, and power brakes would switch to “off” when the engine stalled. Because the engine could stall at high speeds, the problem led to serious crashes made even more devastating because the airbags did not deploy.

Although the information, provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, focuses on the GM vehicle recall, the federal agency added that it would investigate all airbag suppliers and learn how airbag performance relates to whether the engine is running or stalled.

GM has also issued two other large vehicle recalls: one, due to airbag deployment problems, covers 1.2 million 2008-2013 model Buick Enclaves and GMC Acadia SUVs, as well as 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and the 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook; the other covers 1.5 million Chevy Malibus and Malibu Maxx’s from the 2004-2005 model years, plus some 2006, 2008 and 2009 model-year cars, Chevrolet HHR from the 2009-2010 model years (non-turbocharged only), some Cobalts from 2010, some Saturn Auras from 2008-2009, Saturn Ion from the 2004-2007 model years, Pontiac G6 from the 2005 model year, plus some cars from the 2006, 2008 and 2009 model years, and service parts installed into certain vehicles before May 31, 2010, under a previous recall, all due to power steering problems.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Defective Products and Vehicle Recall Cases

If you have experienced a problem with a defective product in your automobile, especially if a defective part has led to an auto accident orpersonal injury, and a proper vehicle recall notice has not been issued, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We can help you with complicated auto insurance claims, and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve to help you with lost income and medical bills. Our attorneys are licensed to practice in South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today at (803) 252-4800.