WASHINGTON — Volvo Car USA is recalling nearly 260,000 older models in the U.S. for potentially defective driver’s side airbags that have been linked to one death, according to a document posted to NHTSA’s website Tuesday.
The affected vehicles — an estimated 259,383 — are the S80 sedan from the 2001 to 2006 model years and the S60 sedan from the 2001 to 2009 model years.
The driver’s side airbag inflators in those vehicles may explode during deployment, increasing the risk of sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other vehicle occupants and resulting in injury or death.
The airbags contain a certain propellant that can degrade over time after long-term exposure to high temperatures and humidity.
Airbag inflators “exposed to critical environments — hot and humid — frequently during its lifetime are at highest risk,” according to the NHTSA document.
Volvo said it is aware of one rupture incident, which resulted in a death. The automaker did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Automotive News.
The inflator manufacturer is German auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, the recall report states.
The defect appears similar to that found in airbags made for many years by the former Takata Corp., which resulted in the largest recall in automotive history.
To fix the issue, Volvo will replace the driver-side airbags with a more modern propellant and inflator.
Dealers were notified starting Sept. 30. Vehicle owners will be notified starting Nov. 29.