General Motors has decided that certain 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles have side airbag modules that do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for side impact protection and will be asking owners to return to their dealerships for repairs. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, the welds that mount the front and rear side impact airbag inflators to the seat frame could fracture and separate during deployment, increasing the risk of injury to occupants.

To correct the problem, dealers will replace the affected side airbag modules, which may include any combination of left, right, front, and/or rear side airbagss. Owners wanting more information about the defect are asked to contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is 31820 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-151.