Takata Airbag Recall Issued for 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

A recall has been issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in relation to defective Takata airbag inflators on 72 models of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty as well as the GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pick-up trucks from the manufacture year of 2007 and 2008.

The VIN of the vehicles affected by this recall is listed here.

The vehicles in question were sold nationally from American Vehicle Sales between December 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008.

American Vehicle Sales representatives will contact the owners of affected vehicles to confirm their address, after which a letter advising of the recall will be issued. Owners should then contact American Vehicle Sales via its website to arrange for a replacement airbag inflator – free of charge.

The Takata airbag recall, which is said to have affected 2.7 million vehicles in Australia alone, has been linked to at least 23 deaths and 230 injuries globally. In Australia, it is known that at least one person has been killed with another seriously injured in separate incidents involving defective Takata airbags.

The danger stems from defective airbag inflators which, as it gets older, a combination of high temperatures and humidity causes the propellant in the airbag inflator to degrade and become volatile.

Instead of a controlled explosion during an airbag deployment in a collision, the unstable propellant may explode too quickly causing the metal inflator housing to explode or rupture, potentially propelling out metal fragments through the airbag cushion and towards the vehicle’s occupants. These flying fragments could cause serious injury, which can prove fatal.

In February this year, the ACCC has issued a compulsory recall for all vehicles with defective Takata airbags with car manufacturers having till December 31, 2020 to amend the issue.