The defect
CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH CLOTH SEATS THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM AND LATER REUPHOLSTERED WITH AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVER KITS ARE INVOLVED. TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT THE AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVERS CAN CAUSE THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION.
The risk
IF THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, THE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MAY BE DISABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE ENABLED, OR ENABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE DISABLED. IN EITHER CASE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THAT REQUIRES AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, A FRONT PASSENGER'S LEVEL OF INJURY MAY BE INCREASED.
The remedy
BECAUSE A REPLACEMENT LEATHER SEAT COVER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM IS NOT AVAILABLE, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) WILL REPURCHASE THESE VEHICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS STATED IN GM'S LETTER TO OWNERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2006. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT GM AT 1-877-477-1022 TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REPURCHASING THEIR VEHICLE.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buick LaCrosse | 2005 | 315 | 4 |
| Buick LaCrosse | 2006 | 299 | 3 |
| Buick Rendezvous | 2005 | 138 | 1 |
| Buick Rendezvous | 2006 | 89 | 1 |
| Chevrolet HHR | 2006 | 1,006 | 5 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2006 | 1,117 | 6 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2004 | 622 | 8 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 2005 | 293 | 5 |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer | 2005 | 1,466 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer | 2006 | 1,108 | 8 |
| GMC Envoy | 2005 | 488 | 2 |
| GMC Envoy | 2006 | 352 | 8 |
| GMC Sierra | 2005 | 117 | 9 |
| Hummer H3 | 2006 | 361 | 4 |
| Pontiac G6 | 2006 | 1,910 | 6 |
| Pontiac Montana | 2005 | 81 | 5 |
Other air bags recalls in 2006
12 of the 490 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2006 concerned the air bags; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 06V488000 21 Dec 2006 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 06V454000 30 Nov 2006 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC |
| 06V445000 22 Nov 2006 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY |
| 06V408000 26 Oct 2006 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 06V353000 14 Sept 2006 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 06V324000 31 Aug 2006 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC |
| 06V295000 8 Aug 2006 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 06V293000 7 Aug 2006 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2006