Tennessee firm refuses U.S. request to recall 67 million air bag inflators

DETROIT — A Tennessee firm is heading for a authorized battle with U.S. auto security regulators after refusing a request that thousands and thousands of doubtless harmful air bag inflators be recalled.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated Friday that ARC Automotive Inc. of Knoxville ought to recall 67 million inflators within the U.S. as a result of they might explode and hurl shrapnel. At least two individuals have been killed within the U.S. and Canada, and 6 others have been damage because of faulty ARC inflators, the company stated.

The recall would cowl a big portion of the 284 million autos now on U.S. roads, however the proportion is troublesome to find out. Some have ARC inflators for each the driving force and entrance passenger.

In a letter posted Friday, the company instructed ARC that it has tentatively concluded after an eight-year investigation that ARC entrance driver and passenger inflators have a security defect.

But ARC responded that it no defect exists within the inflators, and that any issues have been associated to remoted manufacturing points.

The subsequent step within the course of is for NHTSA to schedule a public listening to. It might then take the corporate to courtroom to pressure a recall.

Also Friday, NHTSA posted paperwork exhibiting that General Motors is recalling almost 1 million autos outfitted with ARC inflators. The recall covers sure 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia SUVs.

The automaker says an inflator explosion “may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.”