NHTSA Complaint #10781729 — 2007 CHEVROLET TAHOE

MY 2007 TAHOE HAS A NICE DASHBOARD COVER OVER IT. UPON REMOVAL ONE DAY, I NOTICED THAT THE DASH WAS SEVERELY CRACKED. LARGE, SHARP, AND JAGGED PIECES COMPLETELY BROKE OFF. AFTER RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE DASHBOARD. SINCE THE DASHBOARD HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED AN IMPACT, IT MUST BE DUE TO THE HEAT LIKE IN THE MANY OTHER CASES. HOWEVER, I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON THE COAST SO IT IS NOT PARTICULARLY HOT HERE. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THESE SHARP PIECES COULD SEVERELY INJURE A PERSON OR EVENT PUNCTURE AN AIR BAG. IN THE COURSE OF REGULAR USE A PERSON COULD BE BADLY INJURED BY THESE SHARP PIECES OR THE JAGGED SHARP EDGES OF THE HOLES IN THE DASHBOARD. I HAVE CONTACTED GM/CHEVY AND THEY SAID THAT AS OF NOW THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME WITH THE $1,000 REPAIR, BUT THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT. ALSO, IF THEY DO HELP ME THEY SAID IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED "GOODWILL" AND IN DECIDING WHETHER TO HELP ME THEY WILL CONSIDER MY LOYALTY AND ASKED IF I GET MY CAR REGULARLY SERVICED AT THEIR DEALERSHIPS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE REPAIR COST AND I AM AFRAID IF I GET IN ANY ACCIDENT THAT CAUSES THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY THAT THE DASHBOARD WILL FURTHER SHATTER INTO SHARP PIECES AND PUNCTURE THE AIRBAGS AND/OR INJURE MY CHILDREN AND I. I ALSO FEAR SOMEONE REACHING UP ON THE DASH AND INJURING THEMSELVES. I HAVE SEVERAL GM CARS WITH MAJOR DEFECTS THAT COULD BE SAFETY ISSUES COSTING THOUSANDS TO REPAIR. GM'S DENIAL OF THESE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. GM'S NEGLIGENCE IN DEALING WITH SAFETY HAZARDS HAS COST LOYAL CUSTOMERS THEIR LIVES RECENTLY. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING.