American automaker General Motors (GM) has officially launched a large-scale recall campaign affecting thousands of Cadillac vehicles, as well as several related SUV models from other brands within the corporation.
The reason for the recall is a critical defect in the front airbag modules for both the driver and front passenger.
According to an official statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the airbag inflators are at risk of malfunction. Due to a design flaw, the metal housing of the inflator may rupture during a crash as a result of excessive internal pressure, turning it into a dangerous projectile and scattering metal fragments throughout the cabin.
The origins of the issue can be traced back to the global airbag crisis involving components supplied by the Japanese manufacturer Takata, as well as inflators produced by ARC Automotive. During an ongoing safety investigation, regulators found that prolonged exposure to high humidity and frequent temperature fluctuations can gradually degrade the chemical composition of the propellant inside the inflator.
As a result, the burn rate of the propellant after deployment may become significantly higher than intended. According to available statistics, similar incidents worldwide have resulted in dozens of fatalities and hundreds of serious injuries.
The recall specifically affects 11,158 Cadillac Escalade SUVs, as well as related full-size Chevrolet Tahoe models. The vehicles were manufactured and sold between 2007 and 2014.
Regulators have already published a VIN database identifying potentially affected vehicles. Owners are advised to contact authorized service centers as soon as possible.
The repair procedure has been fully standardized and will be performed free of charge. General Motors will cover all costs related to replacement parts and labor. During the service visit, technicians will remove the defective airbag inflator and install an updated component designed to provide improved resistance to moisture-related degradation.
At the same time, nearly 995,000 newer vehicles from the corporation are also affected by related safety inspections. These include models such as the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse produced between 2014 and 2017, highlighting the scale of ongoing concerns surrounding airbag safety systems across the automotive industry.
