NHTSA Complaint #10152445 — 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

MY VEHICLE (A 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE) WAS INVOLVED IN A TOTAL LOSS COLLISION ON JANUARY 18, 2006. THE COLLISION WAS A FULL FRONTAL CRASH WHICH CAVED IN THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE AVALANCHE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS THROWN OUT OF HIS SEAT BELT DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT. THE DRIVER ENDED UP IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CRITERIA FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WERE MET. THERE WAS A DECELERATION RATE FROM APPROX. 55 MPH TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS HIT (AS SEEN FROM THE EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE UPON ARRIVAL TO THE BODY SHOP). THE COLLISION WAS IN THE MIDDLE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. GENERAL MOTORS DID AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, I WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THEIR CONCLUSION. THEY SAID THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT MALFUNCTION. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE "ABSORBED" THE IMPACT, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS NOT TO DEPLOY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE MANUFACTURER, WHO, IN MY OPINION, WAS BIASED IN HIS REVIEW OF THE INCIDENT. *NM