A defect in GM trucks and SUVs may prevent seatbelt tightening and airbag deployment during crashes, leaving vehicle occupants without protection. The airbag control unit, the Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) in certain GM trucks and SUVs may have been calibrated to prevent deployment of airbags and seatbelts in some vehicle crashes. Failure of the airbags or seatbelts may have resulted in serious injury or death during a crash.
People who purchased, leased, or owned a GM truck or SUV manufactured after 2009 or were injured due to airbag failure may be eligible for compensation.
GM Vehicles involved in SDM Airbag Deployment Failure includes all GM trucks and SUVs starting with model year 2009:
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Acadia
- GMC Terrain
- GMC Yukon
- GMC Canyon
- GMC Sonoma
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Chevrolet Blazer
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Chevrolet Trailblazer
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Chevrolet S-10
- Chevrolet Colorado
- Chevrolet Avalanche
- Cadillac Escalade
- Cadillac SRX
- Pontiac Torrent
- Buick Enclave
- Buick Envision
- Buick Encore
GM Truck and SUV Airbag and Seatbelts May Fail During Crash
GM trucks and SUVs utilize a unit known as the Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) to control airbag deployment and seatbelt tightening.
The SDM unit is controlled by a software program, ALGO-S, which is programmed to analyze crash information and enable airbag and seatbelt deployment. In certain GM SUVs and pickup trucks, the software used to control SDM units was calibrated to shut off airbag and seatbelt deployment 45 milliseconds after a crash had begun. Prevention of airbag or seatbelt deployment in certain types of crashes lasting longer than 45 milliseconds may have resulted in increased risk of serious injury or death.
Some crashes involve multiple impacts or impacts which increase in severity over time. During these types of crashes including rollovers, chain-reaction crashes, multiple object collisions and other domino-type accidents, prevention of seatbelt deployment may increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Calibration of the SDM modules in GM vehicles may have prevented airbag and seatbelt deployment, no matter how severe the crash became. At least 1,298 injuries or deaths have been attributed to this defect.
SDM Design Defect Was Intentional
The SDM design defect was purposeful, not accidental. It was reportedly intended to reduce injuries caused by late airbag deployment. The SDM prevents airbag deployment in crashes that last longer than 45 milliseconds.
Late airbag deployment had been attributed to a number of injuries during the “first generation” period of airbag use, which was reportedly the reason for the design factor. Since that time, airbag technology has improved dramatically and such injuries are rare. Despite this, GM did not change the deployment time of its airbags. While the truck and SUV division left the deployment time at 45 milliseconds, other automobile design groups, including the GM cars group, began to employ a much longer time of 150 milliseconds.
GM Knew About SDM Design Defect
General Motors was reorganized through bankruptcy in 2009. Prior to reorganization, “old” GM had been reportedly warned in 1999 by a group of software engineers that preventing airbag and seatbelt deployment under these conditions was a “reckless and dangerous design decision.” The cars group of GM changed their SDM parameters. However the Truck division, which is responsible for pickups and SUVs, left the programming at the lower 45 millisecond figure.
When the company was acquired by “new” GM in 2009, the knowledge of the defect and objections of engineers was included in old company documentation. Since then, GM continued to receive reports of issues with its SDM design as the number of accidents increased. Despite this knowledge, GM continued to manufacture trucks and SUVs with the defect, even though the company has already settled multiple personal injury lawsuits for airbag failures.
Safety Information Not Included for GM Truck Airbag Failure
Since 1999, at least 1,298 people have been killed or injured when the airbags did not deploy in a GM truck or SUV crash. Yet, GM has not included this information in the owner’s manual, its marketing, or other materials, and continues to sell the vehicles affected by the SDM design defect.
Information about airbags and seatbelts is mostly extensive and specific but does not include warnings about SDM shutoff. Marketing information for GM SUVs and Pickups has often included claims about “safety” and “protection” when referring to airbags. This left consumers unaware and may have resulted in injury, death, or harm and financial loss due to compromised safety.
GM’s Delayed Response May Have Left Drivers and Occupants at Risk
GM’s change to airbag deployment limitations was limited to the car division but indicates the company was aware of the dangers of premature block on airbag and seatbelt deployment. Failing to update SDM programming in SUVs and Trucks may have left drivers, occupants, and others at risk of injury or death when airbags and seatbelts did not deploy as intended.
Despite this knowledge, the company continued to manufacture and market vehicles as safe and reliable. In addition, the company failed to update vehicle manuals and labeling with factual information or warnings regarding SDM potential concerns. Some owners and lessees of GM Trucks and SUVs may have experienced loss of vehicle value due to safety concerns.
GM has not provided a remedy for the faulty modules or offered any compensation for the vehicle’s loss of value and owners’ economic losses.
Affected GM SDM Vehicles
People who were injured or whose post-2009 GM SUV or Pickup Truck vehicles put them at risk of injury or financial loss may be eligible for compensation.
GM Vehicles involved in the SDM Airbag Deployment Failure includes all GM trucks and SUVs starting with model year 2009:
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Acadia
- GMC Terrain
- GMC Yukon
- GMC Canyon
- GMC Sonoma
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Chevrolet Blazer
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Chevrolet Trailblazer
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Chevrolet S-10
- Chevrolet Colorado
- Chevrolet Avalanche
- Cadillac Escalade
- Cadillac SRX
- Pontiac Torrent
- Buick Enclave
- Buick Envision
- Buick Encore
If you purchased or own a GM truck or SUV manufactured after 2009, you may have been placed at risk of serious injury and may be eligible for compensation.