NHTSA Complaint #10104279 — 1997 VOLVO 850

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, 7:30 A.M., CLEAR SUNNY COLD DAY. TRAVELING 55 MPH ON I 190 EXTENSION NEAR O'HARE AIRPORT IN CHGO. THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON MY DASHBOARD (WHICH I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE) AND AN INSTANT LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. IT RIPPED APART THE DASHBOARD, AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY ACROSS. I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND QUICKLY GOT OUT. THE FUMES AND DUST FROM THE AIRBAG WERE TERRIBLE. ALTHOUGH DRIVE-ABLE, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE VOLVO OF LISLE, IL DEALER SINCE IT SEEMED TO ME TO BE AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NO CRASH, NO ACCIDENT, NO COLLISION, AND A SPLIT SECOND WARNING.*AK THE DEALER REPS HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 3 WEEKS. THE DEALER INITIALLY SAID THAT THEY COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE DEPLOYMENT, BUT WOULDN'T BEGIN ANY REPAIR UNLESS I/MY INSURER PAID THE BILL. I WAS IN TOUCH WITH VOLVO OF N.A. WITHIN 24 HOURS. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND OUT AN ENGINEER TO INVESTIGATE. TO DATE, I'VE NOT GOTTEN A REPORT OR AN ANSWER ON THE STATUS OF THIS INVESTIGATION, MY CAR SITS UNREPAIRED AT THE DEALER, AND I'M ON WEEK 3 WITH A RENTAL CAR THAT I FEEL THEY NEED TO PAY FOR AS WELL. I COULD REALLY USE AN ADVOCATE HERE---I'M GETTING A RUN-AROUND.