Complaint 1192617

Complaint Summary

AIR BAGS

Owner Narrative

I START MY TRUCK ONE NICE SUMMER DAY AND MY "SERVICE AIR BAG" LIGHT CAME ON, STRANGE I THOUGHT, SINCE MY 2008 SIERRA 1500 ONLY HAS 57,XXX MILES ON IT. . NO ACCIDENT, NO PRIOR ISSUES, NOT EVEN INCLEMENT WEATHER WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. THE DIAGNOSTIC COST WAS $132.93, AND THAT WAS TO JUST FOR PLUGGING IN THE TECH 2 SCAN TOOL AND RUNNING THE SIR AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I WAS NOT THRILLED ABOUT IT. PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A FAILURE OF THE FRONT LEFT AIR BAG SENSOR. THE DEALER SAID "OH WE HAVE ONE IN STOCK AT OUT OTHER LOCATION, WE CAN GET IT SHIPPED OVER, AND IT WOULD COST $550 BUT WE COULD HAVE THE TRUCK BACK TO YOU LATER THIS EVENING." HOW DOES ONE OF THESE JUST FAIL? IF ITS DUE TO CORROSION SHOULDN'T GM PICK UP THE TAB ON THAT? THIS SAFETY COMPONENT IS WHAT SENSES IMPACT THEN CAUSES THE AIRBAG TO ACTUALLY DEPLOY AND THIS PART JUST RANDOMLY FAILS? HOW IS THAT ACCEPTABLE FOR ANY MANUFACTURER, IF THERE IS A CORROSION ISSUE, FIND A MEANS TO PREVENT FURTHER FAILURES AND COVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT FOR THOSE THAT DO FAIL. FOR A GMC TRUCK THAT USES THE PHRASE "WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE" AS THE BACKBONE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS, WHY WOULD THEY USE PARTS THAT FAIL SO EASILY? SINCE SOME OF THEIR TRUCKS USED TO BE BE ASSEMBLED IN WISCONSIN, AND THEIR HEAD QUARTERS IS IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN, IT'S VERY HARD TO OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT THESE PLACES ARE NOT KIND TO VEHICLES. SO WHY IS IT THAT A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY SYSTEM, THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM, A KEY COMPONENT CAN FAIL SO EASILY, AND THERE IS NOTHING BEING DONE TO CORRECT IT?

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.