— General Motors has again recalled 2014 Buick Verano and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles for roof-rail airbag inflators that could blow apart at the weld joints.
This recall of about 24,000 Verano and Cruze vehicles is an expansion of an October 2023 recall of the same GM vehicles for the same problems.
The roof rails are located above the headliners, and a rupture at the weld joint can allow compressed gas to escape and cause the airbag to partially inflate. General Motors says the metal inflator could enter the vehicle or even exit it. This means anything around the vehicle could be hit with metal.
As for how the inflators became dangerous:
"The inflator chamber in these airbags may have contamination in the chamber that may lead to corrosion that, over time, may result in intergranular cracking near the weld joint." — General Motors
The automaker first notified the government about the October 2023 recall after three incidents involving roof-rail airbag inflator ruptures. GM collected inflator chambers which were built by two different suppliers.
The problem was eventually traced to the inflator chamber supplier, Norma Group.
GM dealerships will replace the roof-rail airbag modules if necessary, but dealers must first collect replacement parts.
About 3,525 of the vehicles are recalled in Canada.
GM will mail first recall letters February 5, 2024, and second recall letters will be mailed when dealers are ready to make repairs.
Buick Verano owners may call 800-521-7300 and Chevrolet Cruze owners may call 800-222-1020.
GM's roof-rail airbag recall number is N232425640.