NHTSA Complaint #11298251 — 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500

MY DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED AROUND THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG. THERE WAS NO INDECENT THAT CAUSED THE CRACK - I JUST GOT IN THE TRUCK ONE DAY AND NOTICED A SMALL CRACK. OVER THE PAST YEAR IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE TO THE POINT THAT I AM CONCERNED THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DASHBOARD ALSO HAS A LARGE CRACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUT MY GREATEST CONCERN IS THE DANGER PRESENTED BY AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT THAT COULD EASILY SEND SHARDS OF SHARP PLASTIC SHRAPNEL INTO THE FACE OF MY PASSENGER OR THAT IT COULD DAMAGE THE AIRBAG AND PREVENT IT FROM FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DASHBOARDS WERE PADDED AS A SAFETY FEATURE TO PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A WRECK. SOMEHOW THE SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAS ALLOWED GM TO GET AWAY WITH INSTALLING DANGEROUS, BRITTLE, CHEAP PLASTIC DASHBOARDS THE ARE PRONE TO CRACKING - A PROBLEM THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF ACCORDING TO MY DEALER. IT IS A FAILURE OF OUR CONSUMER SAFETY AGENCY TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE AND A RECALL TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION IS IN ORDER AND SHOULD BE REQUIRED RIGHT AWAY. HOW TAKATA AIRBAG MANUFACTURER CAN BE REQUIRED TO RECALL MILLIONS OF AIRBAG PARTS BUT GM IS ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS IS INEXCUSABLE.