2016–2017 Buick and Chevrolet: air bags recall
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
What was reported
Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573Reported to NHTSA Oct 7, 2021 by General Motors, LLC, owners notified Jan 10, 2022.
What that means, in plain English
Source: WhichTrim's reading of the filing above — not NHTSA's wordingA Takata-style inflator rupture that propels metal fragments into occupants is a known lethal failure mode that removes occupant protection without warning, justifying the critical label.
Written for us by a language model from the manufacturer's filed text, which is quoted in full above. Where the two differ, the filing is the record and this is only our summary of it.
Which vehicles are covered
Source: NHTSA campaign 21V782000| Model year | Class | Safety Signal | Recalls on file |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Buick Enclave | Large SUV | F | 4 |
| 2017 Buick Enclave | Large SUV | D | 3 |
| 2016 Chevrolet Traverse | Large SUV | F | 5 |
| 2017 Chevrolet Traverse | Large SUV | D | 3 |
Those are the model years inside WhichTrim's range, 2016 onward. The campaign may cover others outside it, and the only thing that settles whether one specific vehicle is included is its VIN.
How much of it has been fixed
Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7of the campaign
The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.
This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.
It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.
The federal paperwork
Source: nhtsa.govFiled documents
Check one specific vehicle
A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.
Campaign 21V782000 · the manufacturer calls it N212349040
Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.
NHTSA’s investigation file links this recall to engineering analysis EA16003.
A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.
Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573Is N212349040 the same recall as 21V782000?
Yes. N212349040 is the number General Motors, LLC uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 21V782000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.
Does this recall repair cost anything?
No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.
How do I know whether my vehicle is included?
By VIN, not by model year. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.
What if the repair is not available yet?
It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. This campaign was filed without a repair available — General Motors, LLC says so in the text above.
What did the manufacturer say was wrong?
The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.
Who started this recall?
NHTSA's record credits NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA’s investigation file links this recall to engineering analysis EA16003. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.