ARC Airbag Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Canada

July 8, 2023 — An ARC airbag class action lawsuit has been filed in Canada alleging defective and dangerous airbag inflators are installed in more than 70 models of vehicles manufactured by multiple automakers. (See below)

The ARC airbag lawsuit includes:

"[All] persons or entities resident in Quebec, who owned, purchased and/or leased a Subject Vehicle equipped with a frontal and/or passenger airbag containing a toroidal stored gas hybrid inflator designed and manufactured by ARC."

The airbag inflator class action lawsuit was filed against these companies.

ARC Automotive
Joyson Safety Systems
Toyoda Gosei
General Motors Canada
Ford Motor Company of Canada
Volkswagen Group Canada
Audi Canada
BMW Canada
Porsche Cars Canada
Hyundai Motor America
Kia Canada
FCA Canada

The Canadian class action alleges the toroidal stored gas hybrid airbag inflators manufactured by ARC Automotive are defective. The inflators contain ammonium nitrate as the propellant.

"Ammonium nitrate or phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (“PSAN”) is a volatile and unstable chemical and unsuitable to be used as the propellant in an airbag, especially in the airbags at issue since, in addition to the use of this dangerous chemical, the inflators did not contain pressure relief valves and used friction welding to secure the inflator halves without ensuring that all metal flash would be removed." — ARC Canada airbag class action lawsuit

The class action alleges at least seven ARC airbag inflators have exploded, killing two drivers. The plaintiffs say one fatality occurred in Newfoundland and Labrador in July 2016 and another death occurred in Michigan in August 2021.

The lawsuit alleges customers overpaid when they purchased the vehicles, and now those vehicles have diminished values due to the ARC airbags.

The ARC airbag class action lawsuit was filed in Canada at the Superior Court for the Province of Quebec District of Montreal: Pallante, et al., v. ARC Automotive, et al.

The plaintiffs are represented by Consumer Law Group.