About 52 million airbag inflators used by Tesla and 11 other auto-makers are potentially defective because they can explode and eject deadly metal shrapnel.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Tesla airbag induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured or died when an airbag exploded or failed to deploy, 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.
Tesla May Need to Recall Vehicles With ARC Airbag Inflators
Tesla and 11 other auto-makers used airbag inflators that may be defective, according to a warning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
About 52 million of these airbag inflators were manufactured in Tennessee by two companies: ARC Automotive and its licensee, Delphi Automotive Systems.
What is the Problem?
Airbag inflators made by ARC and Delphi have been linked to 2 deaths and 7 injuries in the U.S. and Canada between 2009 and March 2023. No injuries or deaths occurred in Tesla vehicles. The airbag inflators were made between the year 2000 and January 2018, when ARC updated their manufacturing process to fix a welding problem.
List of Tesla Vehicles
Tesla Inc. is an American company that designs and manufactures plug-in electric vehicles (EVs). Tesla produced the following vehicles between 2000 and 2018 include:
- Tesla Roadster (2008 – present)
- Tesla Model S (2012 – present)
- Tesla Model X (2015 – present)
- Tesla Model 3 (2017 – present)
Does My Tesla Have an ARC Airbag Inflator?
Tesla has not yet provided a complete list of makes and models of vehicles that are equipped with ARC airbag inflators. This is because no recalls have been announced yet.
NHTSA Seeks to Force Recall for ARC Airbag Inflators
U.S. government safety officials with the NHTSA are seeking to force a recall for ARC airbag inflators after the company refused to issue a voluntary recall in April 2023.
ARC Automotive, which is now wholly owned by the Chinese real estate investor Yinyi Group, blamed any problems with the airbag inflators on “isolated” manufacturing issues.
Airbag Ruptures Linked to Welding Problem in Manufacturing
The NHTSA completed an 8-year safety investigation into ARC airbag inflators in early 2023. The agency concluded that the inflators were defective because of a manufacturing problem in the welding process.
The airbags inflate with gases that come from an airbag inflator, which is a metal canister that contains explosive chemicals like ammonium nitrate. When the metal canister is being welded together, the machine can leave behind extra metal debris called “weld slag.”
If this debris is large enough, it may plug up a hole that is supposed to allow gases to escape from the inflator and fill up the airbag. The trapped gases pressurize the metal canister and blow it apart, ejecting sharp pieces of metal into the passenger compartment.
What is the Risk?
The driver or any passengers inside the vehicle who are hit by these pieces of metal can suffer severe injuries, bleeding, lacerations, or death. These severe injuries may resemble gunshots or stab-wounds.
Another Risk: Airbag Fails to Deploy
When the airbag inflator ruptures, it also fails to inflate the airbag, which also presents serious safety issues — even if people in the vehicle avoid being injured by metal shrapnel. They may hit the steering wheel, dashboard, or other parts of the vehicle, which may be deadly if the car accident is severe.
Safety Risks of Exploding Airbag Inflators
- Bleeding to death
- Lacerations
- Metal shrapnel in the face, eyes, neck, chest or body
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Blindness
- Neck injuries (may need to use a tracheotomy)
- Chest injuries
- Broken bones
- Injuries linked to airbag failing to deploy
- Death
Do I have a Tesla Airbag Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Tesla airbag induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured or died when an airbag exploded or failed to deploy, 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.
Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
