NHTSA Complaint #10895840 — 2013 BUICK VERANO

MY FIRST COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH THE "LOW FUEL" WARNING INDICATOR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THIS DOESN'T OCCUR OFTEN, BUT I'VE NOTICED IT HAPPEN 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS, AND I'M UNSURE OF WHEN THIS ISSUE FIRST BEGAN. TYPICALLY, THE FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR WILL BE AT 1/4 OR BELOW, AND WHEN DRIVING A LONG DISTANCE, STOPPING AND GOING, AND/OR ON HILLY RURAL ROADS, WHEN THE NEEDLE CROSSES INTO THE RED AND EVENTUALLY HITS "0" THE "LOW FUEL" INDICATOR HAS NOT LIT UP, NO MESSAGE APPEARED, AND NO WARNING CHIME, BUT THE DIC STATES "LOW FUEL RANGE". PERHAPS THE SENSOR IS GOING BAD, BUT WHY WOULDN'T THE LIGHT TURN ON IF THE SYSTEM KNOWS THE FUEL LEVEL IS LOW? I CAN PARK SOMEWHERE AND IDLE FOR 30 MIN AND THE LIGHT STILL WON'T TURN ON. ONLY AFTER I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT DOES THE LIGHT/WARNING CHIME/MESSAGE APPEAR. CURRENT MILEAGE: 88,600 MY SECOND COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO THE AIRBAG: ON/OFF INDICATOR FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER. WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO ON WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE SYSTEM OPERATES NORMALLY, BUT IF I'M CHARGING MY PHONE USING A CAR CHARGER CONNECTED TO THE FRONT AUX POWER OUTLET, AND LAY IT DIRECTLY ON THE RIGHT HALF OF THE PASSENGER SEAT, IN ANY POSITION, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL SWITCH FROM OFF TO ON, BUT THE SAFETY BELT LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON OR FLASH, AND NO CHIME IS HEARD. WHEN I LIFT MY PHONE, THE INDICATOR RETURNS TO NORMAL IN A FEW SECONDS. I'VE NOTICED THE PHONE HAS TO BE DIRECTLY ON THE SEAT WITHOUT ANYTHING BENEATH IT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO OCCUR, AND IT'S ONLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SEAT. I JUST NOTICED THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE OF 88,600 STILL APPLIES. I HAVE NOT NOTIFIED A DEALER ABOUT THESE ISSUES FOR FEAR OF HAVING TO PAY COSTLY REPAIRS I CAN'T AFFORD. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG ISSUE CONCERNS ME THE MOST. I BELIEVE THERE'S ELECTRONIC INTERFERENCE CAUSING IT TO OCCUR, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING REGARDLESS.