GM recalls 1.4 million vehicles with airbag inflator issue

General Motors is recalling 1,400,000 model year 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalades, Escalade ESVs and Escalade EXTs, Chevrolet Avalanches, Silverado 1500s, Suburbans and Tahoes, GMC Sierra 1500s, Yukons and Yukon Xls; and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500s and 3500s and GMC Sierra 2500s and 3500s originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

GM has not yet provided a remedy plan nor a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet Customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 49151.