NHTSA Complaint #10331672 — 2007 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

DASH CRACK FAR LEFT CORNER ON 07 AVALANCHE CAUSES AIRBAG UNIT TO NOT SIT PROPERLY IN MOUNTS. AREA ON INDICATED PART OF DASH FLIMSY NOT REINFORCED. DAMAGE CAUSED BY HEAT (SPECULATING,) SPILT 2" FROM 0" IN 6HRS DURING DRIVE FROM SAN DIEGO CA TO LAS VEGAS NV, NO PRIOR DAMAGE OR SIGNS OF STRESS. DUE TO PASSENGER AIRBAG NOT SEATED PROPERLY, AFRAID IF AIRBAG DEPLOYED MAY NOT DEPLOY CORRECTLY. DEALER CONSIDERS CRACK COSMETIC, SAYS AIRBAG IS INDEPENDENT AND SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED WHICH I AGREE BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL OPEN IF IT CAN BE "JARRED" FROM ITS SEATING IN THE DASH IF IT CAN DISLODGE. AND IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO DEPLOY AIRBAG IT COULD BE THRUST UPWARD FROM ITS SEATING AND THUS CHANGING THE ANGLES OF WHICH IT IS INTENDED TO COVER DURING DEPLOYMENT. I SEE A POTENTIAL FLAW HERE DUE TO OVERSIGHT IN ENGINEERING AND FEEL IT NEEDS FURTHER REVIEW. I HAVE INCLUDED A VIDEO I FOUND ON YOUTUBE THAT SHOWS A DASH IN A 07 TAHOE (SAME DASH AS 07 AVALANCHE) WHICH IS CRACKED THE SAME WAY, IT CLEARLY SHOWS HOW DUE TO THIS CRACK THE AIRBAG UNIT IS NOT SECURE IN ITS SEATING AND COULD POTENTIALLY "JUMP OUT" AS WELL THE FLIMSINESS IN THE DASH AREA I AM SPECULATING TOWARDS LACK OF REINFORCEMENT. HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=_DRP8SLWVGO&FEATURE=RELATED *PLEASE NOTE THAT NO CRACK OR INDICATION OF STRESS WAS VISIBLE 2 DAYS PRIOR, DEALER CONSIDERS CRACK TO BE STRICTLY COSMETIC AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I AGREE THE CRACK IN NATURE IS COSMETIC HOWEVER BEING THAT IT CAN DISRUPT A CRUCIAL LIFE-SAVING COMPONENT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR SO THAT ALL POSSIBLE EFFECTED SYSTEMS FUNCTION CORRECTLY AS REQUIRED. *TR