Chevrolet Philippines, through its distributor The Covenant Car Company Inc. (TCCCI), is recalling certain units of the Suburban and Tahoe full-size SUVs on account of an airbag defect.
Certain units of Chevrolet's full-size SUVs in the Philippines are being recalled for faulty airbag inflators
In a recall notice submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), TCCCI said that a total of 435 Suburban and Tahoe models are covered by its Preventive Safety Recall Campaign. These span various model years from 2007 to 2012.
The affected units were all fitted with airbags from Takata, which has been the subject of a global recall involving millions of vehicles over faulty airbag inflators. TCCCI explained that on the recalled vehicles, the ammonium nitrate propellant used by the airbag inflator could degrade over time when exposed to long periods of high temperature and humidity.
The Tahoe is no longer offered in our market, but it is still plagued by airbag problems
This may cause the airbag to deploy with excessive force in the event of a collision, sending metal fragments flying that increase the risk of injury. In a letter to Trade Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo, TCCCI made assurances that no incidents of this nature have been reported so far.
The company said that it has notified affected customers about the recall in order to have the defective component replaced as soon as possible. It is already mobilizing its dealerships nationwide to conduct inspections and the necessary repairs on the vehicles concerned.
| Model/Year | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Suburban | 53 | 76 | 15 | 80 | 56 | 35 | 315 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 49 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 14 | 120 |
| Total | 102 | 117 | 20 | 80 | 67 | 49 | 435 |
Takata Corporation of Japan was formerly a major supplier of airbags for the world’s major auto brands, until it filed for bankruptcy in 2017. However, recalls of its airbags have hounded the company since 2013, with defects linked to at least 22 recorded deaths globally.
As of 2017, the company said its liabilities could reach $50 billion (over Php 2.58 trillion). In 2018, Takata was acquired by U.S.-based firm Key Safety Systems, eventually renamed to Joyson Safety Systems after its Chinese parent company. An internal investigation launched in 2020 also found evidence of Takata having falsified seatbelt data in its manufacturing sites, including the Philippines.
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