NHTSA Complaint #10202517 — 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE

PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE ON MAY 10, 2007. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE NOTED THAT THE "ON/OFF" FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS INCONSISTENT WHEN MY 5' 4", 115 LB. WIFE SET IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE LIGHT INDICATES THAT THE AIR BAG IS OFF, BUT OCCASIONALLY IT SHOWS THAT THE SYSTEM IS ON. WE FIRST TALKED WITH THE SALESMAN AND HE SAID THIS DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT AND I SHOULD BRING THE CAR IN WHEN IT WAS SHOWING THE SYSTEM WAS OFF WHILE MY WIFE WAS RIDING AS A PASSENGER. IN AUGUST, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, BILL KOBACH, IN TOPEKA, KANSAS WITH MY WIFE SETTING IN THE SEAT AND THE LIGHT WAS INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS "OFF." THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WERE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE "ON/OFF INDICATOR LIGHT," BUT I SHOULD LEAVE THE CAR WITH THEM SO THAT THEY COULD CHECK THE SYSTEM. LATER, THEY CALLED AND SAID THE SYSTEM CHECKED OUT OKAY AND THEY HAD CALLED DETROIT ABOUT IT. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE SYSTEM WAS OPERATING WITHIN THE "PARAMETERS" SET BY THE MANUFACTURERS FOR PEOPLE OF MY WIFE'S SIZE. ALSO, THEY SAID, THESE "PARAMETERS" WERE ESTABLISHED BY FEDERAL LAW. WE FIND IT INCONCEIVABLE THAT WE WE PAID $45,000 FOR A CAR WITH AN AIR-BAG SAFETY SYSTEM THAT WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT BOTH FRONT AND REAR PASSENGERS, BUT YET IT WOULD NOT PROTECT AN ADULT OF MY WIFE'S SIZE WHEN RIDING AS A FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER. HAD WE KNOWN THIS FACT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT ANY PRICE. SAFETY IS OUR BIGGEST CONCERN WHEN BUYING A NEW VEHICLE. *JB. UPDATED 01/09/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR