Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module (Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac)
Vehicle recall 21V-051. NHTSA received General Motors, LLC’s report on Feb 5, 2021.
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The short answer
NHTSA received General Motors, LLC’s report on Feb 5, 2021. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 25, 2026.
Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.
What’s wrong with it?
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S.
Virgin Islands or “Zone A.” These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.
These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
- NHTSA’s part: Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module.
What should you do?
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM’s number for this recall is N212328770.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
- How to reach the firm: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
- Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.
Which ones are recalled?
NHTSA counts 284,645 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500and 2012, before the model years listed here
- Chevrolet Silverado 3500and 2012, before the model years listed here
- GMC Yukonand 2012, before the model years listed here
- Cadillac Escaladeand 2012, before the model years listed here
- Cadillac Escalade ESVand 2012, before the model years listed here
- GMC Sierra 3500and 2012, before the model years listed here
- Chevrolet Avalancheand 2012, before the model years listed here
- GMC Sierra 1500and 2012, before the model years listed here
- Chevrolet Tahoeand 2012, before the model years listed here
- Chevrolet Suburbanand 2012, before the model years listed here
- GMC Sierra 2500and 2012, before the model years listed here
- GMC Yukon XLand 2012, before the model years listed here
- Cadillac Escalade EXTand 2012, before the model years listed here
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500and 2012, before the model years listed here
Who is recalling it?
- Made by General Motors, LLC.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
What the record doesn’t say
- NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
- Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
- This recall names only model years before 2015, which have no pages here. Your VIN, at NHTSA, says which recalls are open on a vehicle.
- How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Hearth Record wrote these lines.
Sources
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010).
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 25, 2026.