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GM recalls about 290K cars; air bags may not work in crash

General Motors Co.is recalling almost 290,000 older Chevrolet Impala vehicles that have airbags that may not recognize their passenger seats are occupied. Specifically, GM says that the wires of its passenger presence sensor module may come in contact with the front passenger seat frame, and over time, the repeated contact could damage the wiring.

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Air bag warning lights will illuminate if the wires are chafed.

GM spokesman Tom Wilksinson said they company is “aware of two accidents and two injuries that may be related to the defect”.

The affected Impalas were built from April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010.

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GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. Owners can call Chevrolet at 800-521-7300 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov for more info. The recall, which covers 1.4 million vehicles dating to the 1997 model year, is needed because repairs from the first two didn’t work.

GM recalling nearly 290,000 U.S. cars for air bag defect