NHTSA Complaint #10839227 — 2008 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

I RECENTLY NOTICED A CRACK IN MY DASH CLOSE TO THE AIRBAG IN MY 2008 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, IT'S APPROX. 3-4 INCHES IN LENGTH FROM THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT TO THE TOP OF THE DASH. THIS OCCURRED WHILE MY AVALANCHE WAS PARKED AT THE AIRPORT WHILE TRAVELING, WHEN I RETURNED THE CRACK WAS THERE, PRESUMABLY FROM TEMPERATURE CHANGES. THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY WITH OVER 100K MILES BUT I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BEING SO CLOSE TO THE AIRBAG. IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS I EXPECT PLASTIC SHARDS WILL BE THROWN AROUND THE INTERIOR CABIN AND POSSIBLY CAUSING HARM TO PASSENGERS, POSSIBLY CHILDREN. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAY IT'S COSMETIC AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY. I'M WILLING TO PAY HOWEVER SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT SINCE THE COST IS SO HIGH. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND THE NHTSA SHOULD OPEN AN INVESTIGATION, THANK YOU. *TR