Safety concerns regarding the failure of side-impact airbags to deploy in crashes led GM to issue a recall in 2014.

According to the vehicle-manufacturing giant, ignoring the warning of an illuminated service airbag light on the dashboard of some GM makes and models may be a huge mistake that could lead to serious injury and death.

The illuminated dashboard service airbag light in Buick Enclave from model years 2008 to 2013, Chevrolet Traverse from model years 2009 to 2013, Saturn Outlook from model years 2008 to 2010, and GMC Acadia from model years 2008 to 2013 is meant to warn vehicle owners of the pending need to service airbag safety mechanisms.

Lack of needed attention to the service airbag light might mean that the side-impact airbags will not properly deploy and inflate in an accident involving the broadside of the vehicle.

At the time of the recall, GM was not currently aware of any injuries or deaths definitely related to the non-deployment of side-impact airbags problem, according to a CNN article.

The side-impact airbag recall was issued in 2014 for this group of GM products. It affectes a total of 1.2 million crossover sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

At the root of the defect was a tendency for the wiring within the airbag unit itself to get pinched off, which caused the signal to deploy airbags to get lost. The housing for the side-impact airbags and their wiring harness is located in the seat itself.

Related Airbag Issues

In addition to the side-impact airbag wiring harness defect, GM has had other issues with airbag deployment that warrant owners of their vehicles to pay close attention to any illuminated service airbag light.

In 2016, software installed in 4.3 million globally-distributed GM cars and SUV’s was found to have a glitch that prevented frontal-impact airbags from deploying and inflating in a crash. A recall was issued by the company that affected car models made from 2014 through 2017.

The service airbag light is sometimes referred to as a supplemental restraint system (SRS) light. It is imperative to respond to SRS warnings because, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), frontal-impact airbags have been connected to the preservation of close to 45,000 lives since 1987.

While a review of their website doesn’t give statistics regarding side-impact airbag protection, one can infer a significant decrease in injurious events by proxy.

Other Airbag Safety Concerns

Also, according to the NHTSA, it is important to know that the first line of defense in an accident is the use of a seat belt. Airbags are supplemental to seat belts and, in some instances can cause harm themselves because of the velocity at which they deploy and the interior car volume they take up when inflated.

It is not appropriate for children under the age of 13 to be subjected to the force of airbag deployment because of their size and weight. NHTSA guidelines reiterate that children need to be placed in the back seat of a vehicle when possible.

Rear-facing car seats should never be put in the front seat of a car because the impact of a deploying airbag from the side or front can envelope the seat and suffocate the infant. Always be sure to buckle yourself as a driver and ensure that all passengers are properly belted before pulling into traffic with a moving vehicle.