The Great Airbag Scandal: How ARC and Delphi Played Russian Roulette with 52 Million Lives
Is Your Family Safe? How ARC and Delphi Gambled with Lives Through Faulty Airbags
Disclaimer: This article is as informational as it is snarky. For actual legal advice, consult someone who passed the bar exam, not the snack bar.
What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.
Moms, buckle up. We're diving into a story that's not just about defective airbags but about a system that's defective to its core. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finally put its foot down, demanding the recall of 52 million airbag inflators produced by ARC Automotive and Delphi Automotive. But why did it take so long, and why are companies like ARC still resisting? Let's break it down, shall we?
The ARC of Injustice
The NHTSA first asked—politely, mind you—for a voluntary recall back in May. ARC Automotive, in a move that screams corporate hubris, flat-out rejected it. Fast forward to September, and the NHTSA has had enough of playing nice. They've issued an initial decision and even scheduled a public meeting for October 5th. This is the governmental equivalent of a parent saying, "Don't make me come up there."
If the NHTSA successfully forces a recall, it would be one of the largest in history. But let's not forget, ARC had the audacity to reject the NHTSA's "tentative conclusion" that a defect existed. They didn't even bother to respond to requests for comment. Classic ARC, always playing hard to get when accountability is on the line.
The defective inflators have been used in vehicles from 2000 through early 2018, produced by a who's who of automakers. We're talking General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, Tesla, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen. Each of these brands has been complicit in this dangerous game, whether knowingly or not.
Seven confirmed inflator ruptures in the U.S., seven injuries, and one death. Each number represents a life irrevocably changed. The NHTSA had initially said 67 million airbag inflators were unsafe but later adjusted the figure to 52 million. Why the change? Apparently, some manufacturers were "over-inclusive" in their reporting. Over-inclusive? When lives are at stake, there's no such thing as being too cautious.
ARC completed the installation of devices on inflator manufacturing lines in January 2018 to detect excesses of a hardened byproduct of welding known as weld slag. ARC argues that weld slag hasn't been confirmed as the root cause of the ruptures. But the NHTSA believes otherwise, stating that ARC's argument "is not a reason for delaying a recall."
Remember Takata? The company responsible for the largest auto safety recall in history? Over 100 million Takata airbag inflators have been recalled worldwide, linked to more than 30 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The latest death involving a Takata airbag was as recent as May. ARC and Delphi are walking a dangerous line, one that Takata crossed with devastating consequences.
Delphi Automotive, now acquired by Autoliv, manufactured approximately 11 million of the inflators under a licensing agreement with ARC. Autoliv has yet to comment, but their silence speaks volumes. It's a tangled web of corporate interests, where accountability is passed around like a hot potato.
The Moral of the Story
Moms, this isn't just about airbags. It's about a system that allows corporations to gamble with human lives. It's about regulatory bodies that are too slow to act and companies too arrogant to care. As we await the NHTSA's public meeting on October 5th, let's not forget the real stakes here: the safety of our families, our children, and ourselves.
So what can you do? First, check if your vehicle is affected by this recall. Second, spread the word. And third, never stop demanding accountability from those who put profits over people.
Justice Moms will be following this story closely, and you should, too. Because when it comes to the safety of our families, silence is not an option.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the information available as of September 2023 and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the ARC and Delphi airbag recall issue. For the most current information, please refer to official sources.
