The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 749,312 GM vehicles over possibly bad wiring that could result in airbags not deploying.
The investigation targets the 2020 and 2021 model year Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL, as well the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.
The NHTSA reports that it has evidence of six incidents in which accidents with severe frontal collision damage have not resulted in airbags deploying. It has also received nine consumer complaints of airbag malfunction indicators illuminating on the dashboard.
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A technical service bulletin issued in March relating to the malfunction light cites rust particles in the connection terminal of the driver airbag inflator as the cause of the warning light. It adds that the issue may result in the airbag failing to deploy.
Fortunately, there are no reports of fatalities at this time but there are eight reported injuries. The investigation is still in its preliminary phase, so the scope and severity of the issue are unknown at this point, but a potentially non-deploying airbag is a serious safety concern.
“The safety of our products is the highest priority for the entire GM team,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We are cooperating with NHTSA in their investigation and we are conducting our own investigation into these complaints as well.”
