GM to recall 4M vehicles over airbag defect

NEW YORK (AA) – General Motors (GM) recalled more than 4 million vehicles worldwide because of an airbag defect, the company said Friday.

Sensors that control the deployment of front airbags contain a software defect, according to a statement.

The defect may prevent airbag deployment "in certain rare circumstances when a crash is preceded by a specific event impacting vehicle dynamics," GM said.

"We estimate 4.28 million GM vehicles worldwide have the defect, with 3.64 million of those in the U.S.", Tom Wilkinson, Senior Manager of Cybersecurity and Safety Communications, told Anadolu Agency.

A report was filed on GM’s system in May relating to a crash that involved a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado truck "in which the driver’s frontal airbag and seatbelt pretensioners were alleged not to have deployed," according to company files obtained by Anadolu Agency.

GM opened an investigation June 7 and after reviewing the results of analyses and road tests, decided Aug. 31 to issue a safety recall, according to the documents.

Customers will be able to have their software defect updated free of charge, according to GM.

Following the recall announcement, GM's share value fell 3.2 percent to $30.70 per share, from its previous close of $31.71.