NHTSA Complaint #10485141 — 2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I HAD A SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT T ON IN MY 2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICK UP TRUCK. I WENT TO A DEALER TO HAVE IT SERVICED.AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RIGHT FRONT IMPACT SENSOR WAS CORRODED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I FELT THAT THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE THAT GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIR. I CALLED G.M. AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE AND THE SALT AIR IN MY AREA CAUSED THE CORROSION AND G.M WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE. I TOLD THE PERSON THAT I WAS TALKING TO THAT APPARENTLY G.M. M,UST BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IF THEY KNOW THAT THE SALT AIR CORRODES THE SENSORS. FURTHERMORE I MENTIONED THE FACT THAT SINCE THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT THE AIR BAG COULD POSSIBLE INFLATE WHILE DRIVING AND POSSIBLY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD OR INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THUS CAUSING DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. I WAS THEN GIVEN A FILE NUMBER (71-1127296694) AND TOLD THE MATTER WOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I LATER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A G.M. REP. WHO SAID HE LOOKED INTO MY COMPLAINT AND SINCE IT WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE G.M. WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. I THEN STATED TO HIM THAT I WAS AWARE THAT CHRYSLER RECENTLY HAD A RECALL OF VEHICLES TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE AIRBAG SENSORS WERE CORRODING. I WAS TOLD THAT G.M. HAD NO SUCH RECALL. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CORRODED SENSORS COULD MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY THUS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SWERVE AND POTENTIALLY GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. CHRYSLER CORP. MUST HAVE REALIZED THIS BECAUSE THEY HAD A RECALL. G.M.DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE AND IS APPARENTLY WAITING UNTIL THERE ARE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND THEY ARE FORCED TO RECALL VEHICLES.I ALSO WONDER IF G.M. AND CHRYSLER USE THE SAME VENDOR TO PURCHASE THE SENSORS. MOST LIKELY THEY DO AS THERE ARE PROBABLY NOT MANY COMPANY'S THAT MANUFACTURE THEM. I FEEL THIS IS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SITUATION PLUS THE FACT THAT ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM PERHAPS YOUR AGENCY SHOULD INVESTIGATE. *TR