08:04 AM EST, 12/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates to cite the NHTSA memo throughout.)

General Motors ( GM ) and other automakers such as Ford Motor ( F ) and Toyota Motor ( TM ) were trading slightly higher pre-bell Thursday after the US motor vehicle safety regulator held back on its recall of airbag inflators in US vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a memo released Wednesday that it will not seek an immediate recall of airbag inflators installed in about 50 million US vehicles and will instead prolong its investigation of their potential safety risks.

"After consideration of comments, NHTSA is conducting additional investigation," the Dec. 13 memo said, adding that industry experts and others raised questions about the different types of inflators and processes for producing them. "Given the potential relevance of these issues to the agency's decision making, including the appropriate scope of any recall, further investigation is warranted," the agency said.

The alleged flaw may cause a rupture that sends metal fragments flying, which may have caused at least one fatality and seven injuries in the US, Reuters reported.

Carmakers have opposed any recall over the airbags, the report said.

General Motors ( GM ), Ford, and Toyota ( TM ) did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' requests for comment.

General Motors ( GM ) added 0.8% in recent pre-bell activity, while Ford was up 1% and Toyota ( TM ) gained 0.7%.