General Motors has issued a recall for just under 290,000 Chevrolet Impalas because the air bags might fail to inflate in the event of a crash. The issue lies in the passenger presence sensory system, which may not always recognize that a passenger is present in the front seat. This issue is unrelated to the infamous Takata recall that has plagued GM, as well as other manufacturers.
In addition to the passenger sensor system failing to detect if there is a passenger present in the vehicle, the General also says that "damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions."
"Both conditions increase the risk of injury in a crash," the company stated.
GM says that the passenger detection system for the air bags can be damaged if the passenger seat frame makes contact with the wiring for the module that contains the sensors. The automaker says that the recall affects 2009-10 Impalas that were produced between April 25, 2008 and February 16, 2010.
Once owners receive their recall notice, dealerships will wrap the necessary wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace any damaged wires as necessary, at no cost to the owner.
GM said affected Impala owners can contact Chevrolet’s customer service office at 1-800-521-7300. Drivers should use recall campaign number 36110 to receive more information about the air bag recall.
NAFA Fleet Management Association
http://www.nafa.org/