NHTSA Complaint #10459804 — 2001 BUICK LESABRE

MY PARENTS PURCHASED A 2001 BUICK LESABRE FROM THE DEALERSHIP NEW. BOTH PARENTS (FATHER NOW DECEASED) RETIRED AND MOVED TO FLORIDA IN 2001, AND VERY RARELY DROVE THE VEHICLE. MY FATHER PASSED AWAY IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR (2012) AND MY MOTHER ASKED ME IF I WANTED THE CAR. I DROVE TO FLORIDA TO PICK UP THE CAR AND NOTICED THE DASH PANEL WAS ALL BUCKLED AND LOOKED HORRIBLE. I ASKED MY MOTHER WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THOUGHT PERHAPS IT WAS DUE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA HEAT, BUT MY MOTHER SAID IT STARTED IN 2006 AND THEY HAD BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE AND WOULD COST OVER $1000 TO REPAIR. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE FOR REPLACEMENT DASH PANELS I DISCOVERED THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN FOR SOMETIME, FLORIDA HEAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND WILL CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY. *TR