2013 Buick Verano Recalled For Risk Of Exploding Airbag Inflator

GM has issued a product safety recall for certain units of the 2013 Buick Verano that were built with a frontal driver-side air bag inflator containing a defect that could result in an internal canister exploding dangerously when the air bag inflates during a collision.

The problem: in affected 2013 Buick Verano vehicles the deployment of the driver-side air bag could result in the inflator bursting and creating a shrapnel hazard because of a defect.

The hazards: detonation of the ammonium nitrate propellant during a collision may cause overpressure in the inflator of the driver-side air bag module, causing a part to burst and send sharp pieces of metal through the 2013 Buick Verano interior at high speed, potentially resulting in injury or death.

The fix: a repair is available free of charge for affected 2013 Buick Verano units. The fix consists of removing the driver-side air bag module and inflator, and installing a new component in its place from a non-defective batch of air bag modules.

Units of the 2013 Buick Verano built with air bag inflators from other parts lots are not affected by the recall and are not eligible for a fix. GM tracked down the exact Verano vehicles built with the defective inflators by using the information in manufacturing records and part trace data.

Affected components: driver-side air bag inflator module.

Affected vehicles: 

• 2013 Buick Verano
• 2013 Chevy Camaro
• 2013 Chevy Sonic
• 2013 Chevy Volt

Number of affected vehicles: GM says a total of 767 vehicles in total are affected by the recall in the United States, which includes 43 individual units of the 2013 Buick Verano.

Owners should: owners will be mailed a notification letter on September 11^th, 2023 informing them of the GM recall of the 2013 Buick Verano and letting them know about the available fix.

The current owners of 2013 Buick Verano vehicles with concerns or questions can contact either Tri-Shield customer service or the NHTSA for more info, using the numbers listed below and referencing the recall identifier as needed:

Contacts:

• GM recall number: N232413120
• Buick customer service number: 1-800-422-8425
• NHTSA campaign number: 23V516000
• NHTSA recall number: 23V-516
• NHTSA safety hotline: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153)

Note: GM started the recall based on an accident on May 23^rd, 2022 when a collision occurred in Brazil involving a 2013 Chevy Camaro. The Camaro’s air bag exploded and flying pieces of metal debris struck one person, wounding them non-fatally. No other incidents have been reported.

GM Brazil analysis and further analysis in Armada, Michigan by Joyson Safety Systems is ongoing but shows a defective internal cylinder in the module is unable to contain the pressure of the charge used to inflate the airbag. The defect is only found in one lot of Takata air bag inflators used in the four models.

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