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Pontiac Grand Am Air Bags Safety Report | July 15, 2003
Reported on July 15, 2003
| MY SON'S GRAND AM DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER THE CAR WAS DRIVEN THROUGH A PUDDLE HIDING A POT HOLE. HE SUSTAINED BURNS ON HIS RIGHT ARM AND HAD TO STOP THE CAR AND EXIT IN ORDER TO STOP COUGHING FROM THE AIRBAG POWDER. PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS CONTACTED, INFORMED ABOUT THE INCIDENT, DIGITAL PICTURES TAKEN BY THE REPAIRING PONTIAC DEALER WERE INSPECTED AND, BASED ON PAINT FLAKING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BUMPER COVER AND A DENT IN THE CROSSMEMBER, THEY CONCLUDED THIS DAMAGE CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE MANAGER TO THE REPAIRING DEALER WAS VERY SKEPTICAL OF THIS CONCLUSION SINCE THIS KIND OF DAMAGE SHOULD NOT DEPLOY THE AIRBAG AND, BASED ON THE DESIGN OF THIS CAR, BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. FURTHER, THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS LODGED AGAINST THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME SITUATION (NHSTA WEB SITE) AND GM OF CANADA HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR IMPROPER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I BELIEVE GM IS REPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF THE REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT. | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Grand Am |
| Manufactured by: | General Motors LLC |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Was a crash reported? | Y |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | |
| Location: | TOLEDO OH |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1G2NE12M8VC |
| Mileage: | 49000 miles. |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
| Previous Report:Air Bags | Next Report:Suspension |