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General Motors Airbags

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There are two things that can go wrong with air bags -- they can deploy when they shouldn't, and they can fail to deploy when they should. Every manufacturer, including GM, has had problems with air bags, which are intrinsically complex and dangerous.

• GM air bags that failed to deploy
• GM air bags that deployed erroneously

Our advice? Never rely on your air bag. Always wear your seat belt and insist that passengers do the same. Equally important -- NEVER let small children sit in the front passenger's seat in a vehicle equipped with air bags. They can be very seriously injured and even killed if the air bag deploys. Children must be belted in in the back seat, using an appropriate child booster or infant seat.

Some recent complaints ...

Aangelina of Granada, CO January 9, 2010

I'm the person who hit that deer going 65 mph in a 2005 Chevy Impala. My insurance company decided it would be less expensive to fix the car than call it totaled. The repair bill is 5448.21. I still can't believe the airbags never deployed. All the damage was to the front end of the car. The radiator damaged the air conditioning unit, but still no airbags.

I made a complaint to GM, but all I got was a generic email response. I'm still sporting a brace on my left wrist. Never put your life in the hands of GM. What if I'm in a more serious accident? Will those same airbags deploy? I don't think so!

Aangelina of Granada, CO December 21, 2009

I hit a huge deer going 65 mph on 12/19/2009. The entire front end of my car was seriously damaged, but my airbags never deployed. I hit my chest on the steering wheel and my knee on the dashboard. I injured my left wrist and need to wear a brace for the next few weeks. The car is probably a total loss. I was driving a 2005 Chevy Impala. I bought it new right off the show-room floor. An insurance adjuster will be out to look at it tomorrow. I wish you could see the pictures. The police, fire department, ambulance driver, and tow truck operators could not understand why the airbags didn't work. I'm shocked!

Michelle of Hilton , NY December 21, 2009

My husband was in an accident this past sat. A tow truck had run a red light and hit my husband and son head on. By the grace of god my son was not hurt. My husband has a separated shoulder and head pain. THE AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF IN MY 2008 CHEVY MALIBU.

Lori of Rock Hill, SC November 23, 2009

The passenger side airbag on my sons 1997 Cheverolet Cavalier deployed while he was driving down the road at 55mph, busting up the dash and the windshield. Luckily my son maintained control of the vehicle and no one was injured. I contacted GM to see why this had happened. They wanted to inspect the car so after replacing the windshield so the car could be driven my son had to take it approx. 35 miles to a GM dealership and leave the car for the inspection. I also had to fax in copies of the title, registration, bill of sale, and my drivers license to Debbie at GM. After the inspection Debbie from GM called, there was a defect in the sensor because there was water under the seat. (of couse there was water, the car sat in the rain for four days with a brokken windshield) At this time she offered us 1,631.00 to buy back the vehicle. Four days later Debbie calls me back and withdrawls the offer and offers 900.00 to buy back the vehicle. Because "they can't offer more than we paid for the car." I recieved a deal on this car because I purchased it from my daughter-in-law. They weren't even offering to compensate my son at all for the towing or the cost of the new windshield. These were damages directly resulting from the defective deployment of the airbag.

Dimtiros of Waupun, WI September 24, 2009

I hit a cow at 60 miles per hour head on. The air bags never deployed. When I bought a brand new truck I trusted my life in the safety of GM. Guess I was wrong.

Carrie of Pittsburgh, PA August 26, 2009

I was driving im my 2008 Chevy Cobalt and was hit head on totaling my car. The airbags never deployed and everyone from the firefighters, police, bystanders, insurance adjuster, auto body shop and tow truck driver couldn't believe that the airbags never deployed. The whole front end is pushed in and resulted in my car being totaled. There isn't an area in the front of the car that doesn't have severe damage. This just doesn't make sense!

Michelle of Spring, TX June 29, 2009

I was in a car accident in my 2006 Chevy Trailblazer. It was a frontal impact that ripped the front bumper off of my car, busted the radiator, buckled the hood, and totaled my car. To make things worse I hit my head extremely hard on the steering wheel & had to go to the hospital because the airbags never deployed. - I had to go to the hospital. - I missed work. - I was prescribed several medications...

Kevin of Marysville, WA March 28, 2009

Kevin of Marysville WA (03/28/09)
On march 1st 2009, I experienced an erroneous curtain airbag deployment and seatbelt retraction several seconds after an abrupt maneuver (avoiding another vehicle performing a sudden illegal turn) and driving straight down the road. The passenger side curtain airbag deployed rapidly and then I noticed the drivers side airbag inflating as if in slow motion and my seat belt tightened up. As a result, and as if in a state of shock, (I really thought I got caught in gunfire), I, in an attempt to see to exit to the left off of a four lane road (while trying to pull back the airbag & talking to onstar) I rubbed the curb with both right tires causing a sidewall flat on the right front.

I had the vehicle towed the next morning to the dealer. G.M. investigated and has determined that I experienced a near rollover situation, therefore they decline to offer any warranty or other assistance. This was not a near rollover situation and if just perhaps it were, the airbags did not deploy for several seconds after the entire maneuver. The drivers seat belt is now limp and the passenger seat belt has retracted so tight that it literally broke the belt housing on top of the seat back (pieces) so tight that it is deforming the leather seat. I retrieved the vehicle from the dealer on March 25h to obtain additional repair estimates.

The owner of a well establised, and experienced body shop came to my home to estimate it as it is not really legally drivable due to the seat belts. After reviewing this situation he told me that this isn't right, that he had never seen such a seatbelt retraction that was so foceful that it ripped the buckle stop right out of the passenger seatbelt. I thank my lucky stars that I did not have a passenger with me or a child in that seat. He suggested that I file complaints and perhaps create a video of this G.M. product.

Mitch of Autrain, MI July 17, 2008

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