General Motors has issued a recall for 1,559 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks from the 2016 and 2017 model years due to potentially defective roof-rail airbags. Models affected are:
- 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
- 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- 2016-2017 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2016 GMC Sierra 2500
- 2016 GMC Sierra 3500
An airbag inflator is a small capsule of compressed gas that, in an accident, squirts into an airbag to quickly inflate it. In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM says that two manufacturing errors could have led to defective roof-rail airbag inflators, located above the headliner on the left and right sides of the vehicle.
Either defect could cause the inflators to separate or burst. That could let compressed gas escape from the inflator, and the end cap or other components could be propelled into the cabin, where they might cause injuries.
Customer Incident Prompted Recall Investigation
GM began investigating after a customer reported a roof-rail rupture in their 2016 Silverado 1500 shortly after starting to drive the truck.
An investigation showed that the inflator sidewall had split in the vehicle, along with damage to the headliner and roof. No serious injuries were reported in the incident, but occupants noted ringing in their ears following the rupture.
GM dealers will remedy this issue by replacing the left and right-side roof rail airbag modules in all affected vehicles. As with all recall repairs, the fix is free.
Owners with recalled vehicles will be notified via mail starting Nov. 9.
Millions of cars are recalled, sometimes more than once. While automakers do their best to notify every vehicle owner affected by a recall, they don’t always reach everyone. To check whether your vehicle might be subject to a recall, use the easy tool at our recall center. All you need is your vehicle identification number (VIN), license plate, or year, make, and model of your car to get started.
