(RTTNews) - General Motors (GM) to recall 5.9 million vehicles in the U.S., to remove potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators.
The auto giant's decision to recall the vehicles comes after the US auto safety regulator NHTSA denied GM's request to exclude certain trucks and SUVs from the Takata airbag-inflator recalls.
The recall includes some Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra and GMC Yukon vehicles built between 2007-2014.
"The safety and trust of those who drive our vehicles is at the forefront of everything we do at General Motors. Although we believe a recall of these vehicles is not warranted based on the factual and scientific record, NHTSA has directed that we replace the airbag inflators in the vehicles in question," GM said in a statement.
"We disagree with NHTSA's position. However, we will abide by NHTSA's decision and begin taking the necessary steps," the company added.
GM estimates the recall to cost $1.2 billion.
Takata had used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to fill air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate when exposed to heat and humidity and explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.
Twenty-seven people have been killed worldwide by the exploding inflators including 18 in the U.S.
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