NHTSA Complaint #10898589 — 2008 PONTIAC G8

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MODULE - FAILURE THE FAILURE OF AN ELECTRONIC MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT, DEFAULTS THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO "OFF". COST IS JUST UNDER $1,000 FOR DEALER REPLACEMENT. DEALER INDICATED THERE WAS NO METHOD TO TURN ON THE AIRBAG SYSTEM - REGARDLESS OF PASSENGER OR NOT. BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE (MANY FAILURES RECOGNIZED SINCE THE 2006 SOLSTICE MODEL) ANY PASSENGER IS SUBJECT TO AN UNSAFE CONDITION WITHOUT ACTIVE AIRBAG. THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE NEGATES THE DEALER COST TO REPAIR. COMPLAINT FILER FEELS THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT MODULE SHOULD BE HALF OF THAT QUOTED BY THE DEALER SINCE GENUINE GM PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AT $275 INSTEAD OF DEALER COST OF $417 AND THAT LABOR OF 2.5 HOURS TO REPLACE MODULE UNDER THE SEAT IS EXCESSIVE BASED ON TIME TAKEN BY OTHERS SELF-CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. (TIMES INDICATED RAN FROM 20 MINUTES TO 45 MINUTES FOR MOST). BECAUSE OF COSTS, MANY OF THESE MODULES WILL (LIKELY) GO UN-REPAIRED AND POTENTIALLY UN-REPORTED IF SOLD AS A USED VEHICLE..