NHTSA Complaint #10820741 — 2010 CHEVROLET COBALT SS

MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES ON IT. IT IS ALWAY GARAGE (ENCLOSED). DURING ITS 3000 MILES, IT HAS ONLY HAD ONE PASSENGER FOR ABOUT A 100 MILE TRIP. NO ONE HAS RIDEN IN THE BACKSEAT NOR HAS THE REAR SEAT BEEN USED FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS. THE INTERIOR HAS NOT BEEN CLEANED (NOT NEEDED). IT IS A COLLECTOR CAR AND USED AS SUCH FOR OCCASIONAL TRIPS. LAST WEEK, THE SIR INSTRUMENT LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED (SERVICE AIRBAG) WHILE ON A TRIP TO EXERCISE THE CAR (CAR WAS STATIONARY AND THE SIR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS STARTED). SEE GM SERVICE BULLETIN 09-09-40-003A ISSUED AUGUST 2010. WHEN SIR IS ILLUMINATED, THE AIRBAGS ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL, BUT THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE. SEEMS GM HAS A LATENT DEFECT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND ITS WIRING BUNDLE. GM DEALER CHARGE ~$500 TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND ITS DEFECTIVE WIRING BUNDLE. THEY ALSO LOOSEN THE WIRE BUNDLE LEADING TO THE RETRACTOR TO GIVE IT MORE PLAY AND ALTER THE SEAT BELT SLEEVE TO ALLEVIATE BINDING OF THE WIRING BUNDLE. THIS PROBLEM IS GENERIC TO THE WHOLE COBALT LINE AND ITS PONTIAC COUSIN THE G%. SINCE THE FIX IS COSTLY, MOST FOLKS CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE AUTOMOBILE AND DON'T REALIZE THE AIRBAGS ARE NONFUNCTIONAL. THIS PRESENTS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD TO THE OWNERS AND PASSENGERS OF COBALT AUTOMOBILES. THIS SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE MANDATORY RECALL FOR GM!!!