NHTSA Complaint #10652462 — 2002 TOYOTA AVALON

WITHOUT INCIDENT, ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN CAR STARTED AND CONTINUES TO BLINK WHILE CAR IS RUNNING. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 99,000 MILES ON MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. LOCAL MECHANIC TESTED WITH HIS EQUIPMENT AND FOUND A PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. HE REFERRED ME TO DEALER TO MAKE REPAIRS. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO RE-CHECK AT COST OF MORE THAN $100 AND THEN WOULD CHARGE ME FOR ANY REPAIRS THAT WERE NEEDED, BUT COULD NOT QUOTE PRICE UNTIL THEY PERFORMED TEST. I THEN READ ABOUT RECALLS OF 2002 AVALON, BUT MY DEALER SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE MY MAKE AND MODEL HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED. I CANNOT JUSTIFY PAYING $100+ FOR A RE-TEST AND THEN HAVING TO PAY ANY AMOUNT DEALER CHARGES TO REPAIR A 12 YEAR OLD AUTO. I DO NOT TRUST THIS DEALER BECAUSE OF PAST DEALINGS WITH THEIR SALES AND SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. PLEASE ADVISE ME. I TRANSPORT MY ELDERLY AUNT ON OCCASION. IS IT SAFE FOR HER TO RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT? THANK YOU. *TR