Delphi Automotive manufactured about 11 million airbag inflators that can explode metal shrapnel, causing severe injuries or death to anyone in the vehicle.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Delphi airbag induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by an airbag explosion, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Delphi Airbags Linked to Deadly Safety Hazard
In September 2023, U.S. government auto-safety officials moved to force a recall for approximately 52 million airbag inflators made by ARC Automotive and Delphi Automotive due to a risk of explosions that can shoot out metal shrapnel, causing severe injury or death to people inside the vehicle.
The NHTSA published an investigation report and is holding a public hearing on October 5, 2023.
How Many Vehicles Are Affected?
The NHTSA believes that about 52 million airbag inflators from ARC and Delphi are defective. These inflators were installed in cars from 12 different auto-makers between 2000 and 2018. Of those, 11 million were made by Delphi and 41 million were made by ARC Automotive.
The list of auto-makers includes:
- BMW
- Stellantis / Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA)
- Ford
- General Motors (GM)
- Hyundai
- Kia
- Maserati
- Mercedes-Benz
- Porsche
- Tesla
- Toyota
- Volkswagen (VW)
How Many People Have Died?
Airbag inflators made by ARC Automotive and Delphi Automotive are linked to 2 deaths and 7 injuries in the U.S. and Canada, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Some of the risks of an airbag explosion include:
- Severe bleeding
- Injuries resembling gunshot or stab wounds
- Blindness
- Lacerations to the face, neck, head, or chest
- Permanent scarring
- Brain damage
- Chest wounds
- Death
Lawsuit Filed in Exploding Airbag Death in Michigan
One of the most tragic deaths linked to ARC Automotive airbag inflators occurred in Michigan, when a mother of 10 children was hit in the neck and killed by metal shrapnel that blew out of her airbag.
The incident occurred in 2021 while she was driving a 2015 Chevy Traverse SUV with 4 of her children. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against ARC Automotive, accusing the company of knowingly selling defective airbag inflators.
WARNING: Airbags May Explode After Minor Crashes
Two years after her death, the driver of a 2009 Hyundai Elantra was killed in Canada when an ARC inflator exploded in a crash. Tragically, the person died in a minor fender-bender. “The incident was a low-speed collision, which was expected to be survivable,” a Transport Canada spokesman told CBC News.
Who is Delphi Automotive?
Delphi Automotive is a global auto-parts company that made around 11 million airbag inflators under a licensing agreement with ARC Automotive until 2004. Delphi was acquired by Autoliv Inc. in 2010.
Is It The Same Problem as Takata Airbags?
Airbag inflators made by ARC and Delphi have a similar problem as Takata airbags — both types of inflators can explode and blow apart their metal canister instead of inflating the airbag, spewing metal shrapnel that can injure or kill people inside the car.
However, the root cause of the explosions is different. Takata airbag inflators contain ammonium nitrate, a chemical that can degrade over time and burn all at once, exploding the canister apart.
In comparison, ARC and Delphi airbag inflators can potentially explode due to a manufacturing problem, according to the NHTSA.
The manufacturing problem is debris from a friction welding process, which can produce “weld slag,” according to NHTSA investigators.
NHTSA believes this “weld slag” debris can get stuck in an exit hole that is supposed to release extra gas when the inflator deploys. If the debris is big enough, it blocks the hole and prevents the gas from escaping, causing pressure to increase so that the canister explodes.
As explained in the NHTSA recall request to ARC Automotive:
“Over pressurization of the inflator has the potential to cause it to rupture resulting in metal fragments being forcefully propelled into the passenger compartment.”
ARC took steps to fix this problem in January 2018. Since then, there have been no known ruptures, according to the NHTSA.
Do I have a Delphi Airbag Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Delphi airbag induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by an airbag explosion, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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