The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·16V151000·Announced 2016-03-11

GM Recalls 2016 Chevrolet Malibus for Side Air Bag Weld Defect

General Motors is recalling 2016 Chevrolet Malibus because side air bag weld studs may fracture, increasing injury risk during deployment.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (fracturing weld studs) that compromises side impact protection and increases the risk of injury during air bag deployment, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

General Motors LLC is recalling certain 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured between February 16, 2016, and March 5, 2016. The recall addresses a defect where the two weld studs that mount the front and rear side impact air bags may fracture and separate from the air bag during deployment. This issue causes the vehicles to fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, "Side Impact Protection."

The fractured weld studs may allow the side air bag to move out of position during deployment, which increases the risk of injury to occupants. No specific number of affected units is provided in the source text, but the recall covers the specific production window mentioned above.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 for more information.

The recalled product

Product
CHEVROLET MALIBU
Brand
CHEVROLET
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Category
Vehicle — Side Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
3,137

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • MALIBU

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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