Due to airbags built with an incorrect part by part supplier Takata, General Motors has recalled 29,019 Cruzes built within the years of 2013-2014.
The Detroit-based auto company has ordered all dealerships to halt the sale of Cruzes built in the aforementioned years.
GM spokesman, Jim Cain, announced in an e-mail that all Cruzes from 2013 and 2014 were included in the halt-sale. He also stated that later model year Cruzes have been taken off the recall list because the company was able to match the VIN numbers of correct parts.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed that some Cruzes have been built with a faulty airbag part that could cause the inflator to rupture during deployment.
If a crash occurs, this may cause air-bags to splay and become airborne inside the vehicle, which inevitably may strike occupants.
Additionally, it is possible that air-bags built with the incorrect Takata part may not even deploy at all once triggered by collision.
Recalls are certainly not foreign to GM.
The automaker has been the center of controversy since its infamous February recall of over 2-million vehicles due to ignition switch problems.
Even though the ignition switch recall affected a myriad of GM vehicles, the latest recall on the Cruze is not a result of that recall.
Consequently, the recent recalls issued by GM, have forced CEO Marry Barra to direct Jeff Boyer, head of safety for the automaker, to become more involve with safety and crash analysis.
A recent NHTSA document revealed that GM was sued on May 1st in a case involving a driver of a Cruze, who was injured by a deployed air bag during a crash.
The document further revealed that GM informed the NHTSA about the air bag issue on May 27th.
GM’s new vehicle warranties cover all of the Cruzes under the current recall, and the company will notify all owners of affected vehicles, and fix the problem without cost.
Since 2008, nearly 10-million vehicles with Takata air bags have been recalled. The Tokyo-based company, which has an office in Auburn Hills, MI, was also involved in recalls with other auto companies, including Honda, Nissan, BMW, and Toyota.
