Volvo Adds 195,000 Vehicles to Recall for Dangerous Air Bags

A Volvo logo is seen connected a rim displayed astatine a Volvo showroom successful Mexico City, Mexico, connected April 6, 2018. (Gustavo Graf/Reuters)

DETROIT—Volvo is recalling different 195,000 vehicles successful the United States due to the fact that the beforehand driver’s aerial bags could detonate and nonstop shrapnel into the cabin.

It’s the company’s 3rd U.S. recall for the contented with aerial container inflators made by supplier ZF/TRW. It stems from the decease of an unidentified U.S. driver. In all, the recalls screen much than a half-million vehicles.

The latest callback posted Thursday by U.S. information regulators covers XC70 and V70 wagons from the 2001 done 2007 exemplary years that were built from Feb. 22, 2000 done May 4, 2007.

The occupation is akin to wide occupation with aerial container inflators made by bankrupt Japanese aerial container shaper Takata. The institution utilized ammonium nitrate to make a tiny detonation to inflate the aerial bags. But the chemic tin deteriorate implicit clip erstwhile exposed to precocious vigor and humidity and pain excessively fast, blowing isolated a metallic canister.

At slightest 19 radical successful the United States and 28 worldwide person been killed by exploding Takata inflators. More than 400 person been injured successful the United States.

The Volvo inflators bash not usage ammonium nitrate, but the propellant tin inactive deteriorate erstwhile exposed to precocious vigor and humidity, according to documents posted Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Volvo said successful the documents that the fatality is the lone inflator rupture lawsuit that it knows of.

ZF/TRW said the inflators were not sold to immoderate different automakers successful the United States. The company’s U.S. office is successful Livonia, Michigan, adjacent Detroit.

Earlier this period Volvo recalled astir 260,000 older cars successful the United States for the aforesaid problem. That was successful summation to a callback from November of 2020.

Dealers volition regenerate the driver’s aerial container “with a modern state-of-the-art propellant/inflator,” the Volvo documents say. Owners successful the latest callback volition beryllium notified by missive starting Dec. 14.