US Agency Demands Recall of 67 Million Air Bag Inflators; Manufacturer Refuses Despite Fatalities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ordered air bag inflator manufacturer ARC Automotive to recall 67 million potentially defective air bag inflators linked to at least two deaths and seven injuries.
ARC denied there were any defects requiring a recall and claimed issues were due to isolated manufacturing problems.
General Motors agreed to recall nearly 1 million vehicles with ARC inflators after one ruptured and caused facial injuries.
The inflators are used in vehicles from at least 12 automakers including Volkswagen, Ford, BMW, Chrysler, Hyundai, and Kia.
NHTSA said welding debris could block an exit hole for the air bag inflator gas, causing the inflator to explode.