NHTSA Complaint #10749882 — 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU

I GOT INTO MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU LTZ (I'M NOT AN OVERWEIGHT PERSON, I WEIGH 192LBS AT 6FT TALL) AND THE FRONT SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS AND TO THE RIGHT. APPARENTLY THE SUPPORT BAR UNDERNEATH THE SEAT HAD BROKEN AT THE WELD. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST NEARLY $1000 TO REPAIR AS THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT SEAT. SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET SHOW THIS IS APPARENTLY A PRETTY WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING OR DURING AN ACCIDENT, I MAY HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR OR BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AS THE COLLAPSE WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENTLY THREW ME BACKWARDS. I REALLY THINK CHEVY SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. AS I NOTED ABOVE, THE BREAK WAS AT THE WELD NOT IN THE BAR ITSELF. THIS MEANS THAT EITHER THEY NEED BETTER WELDS OR MORE SUPPORT UNDERNEATH THE SEAT.