NHTSA Complaint #10904683 — 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH WHEN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. NO COLLISION OCCURRED, NO ONE WAS INJURED, ROAD WAS DRY AND SMOOTH, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, ROAD WAS VERY FAMILIAR. CALLED GM AND THEY TOOK VEHICLE TO WALTER JACKSON CHEVROLET IN RINGGOLD, GA FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE, THEY FOUND, WAS A PERSISTENT WATER LEAK BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX WHICH CAUSED CORROSION AND CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS LEAK REPAIRED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT ATTEMPTS ONLY SUCCEEDED TEMPORARILY, IF AT ALL. FOUND FROM INTERNET SEARCHES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES. AS I ALSO DRIVE A 2004 IMPALA THAT HAS HAD THE SAME LEAK, I AM CONCERNED THAT ITS AIRBAGS COULD ALSO DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. WE ARE THE SECOND OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE BUT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CAR'S HISTORY, AS IT WAS PURCHASED FROM A FAMILY MEMBER. KELLEY BLUE BOOK VALUES IT AT $2,000 AND REPAIRS ARE ESTIMATED AT $4,000. FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF REPAIRS ON THE CAR, EXCEPTING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE: 12-20-2007- RIGHT SIDE COWL PANEL SEAL- TO FIX LEAK UNDER GLOVE BOX 5-15-2010- BODY REPAIR- GRASS FIRE GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO BLISTER PAINT ON RIGHT SIDE OF CAR BEFORE FIRE DEPT. PUT IT OUT. (WE WEREN'T THERE TO MOVE IT.) 11-19-2013- WINDSHIELD AND GASKET- LEAKING AGAIN. 5-13-2016- REPAIR WATER LEAK- LEAKING AGAIN. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT AFTER-MARKET FIXES ON THE INTERNET THAT MECHANICALLY INCLINED PEOPLE HAVE DEVISED, BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY. THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE SAFE FROM THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT ROLLS OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE.