General Motors has recalled 2,819 full-size trucks because their airbag inflators can rupture without an accident, sending hot metal fragments into the cabin and potentially injuring occupants.
Recalls models include some, but not all, examples of the:
- 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
- 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- 2018 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2019 GMC Sierra 2500
- 2019 GMC Sierra 3500
The recall affects only crew cab models that received airbag inflators from a specific parts shipment.
Airbags inflate thanks to inflators – tiny metal capsules containing chemicals that combine to form a rapidly expanding gas that squirts out of a nozzle and fills the cloth bag. GM tells the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that one batch of inflators used in some roof-rail airbags may be defective and can rupture rather than squirt gas out the nozzle. That can happen suddenly, even without an accident to trigger it.
The company is aware of only one such incident, which happened in an empty truck.
Dealers will replace the roof rail airbag modules to fix the problem.
By law, dealers never charge for recall repairs.
Automakers recall many cars to fix safety defects, sometimes more than once. While automakers try to reach every owner to ask them to bring the vehicle in for repair, they rarely get them all. Millions of vehicles on American roads need free recall repairs. To find out if your car is one of them, check the easy VIN tool at our recall center.
