NHTSA Complaint #11309172 — 2015 CHEVROLET IMPALA

"SIDE AIRBAG WARNING SYSTEM" INDICATION. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE OBJECT DETECTION MODULE AND WIRE HARNESS HAD FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR GM VEHICLES. THE MODULES ARE LOCATED IN A POSITION THAT HAS NO PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS. TO MAKE IT WORSE, THE MODULE ACTUALLY HAS A VENT THAT ALLOWS MOISTURE TO INFILTRATE THE MODULE. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT GM IS WELL AWARE OF. GM ISSUED A LETTER TO OWNERS OF EFFECTED VEHICLES BUT IF YOU DIDN'T GET A LETTER YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK. THE LETTER IS SPECIFIC ABOUT MOISTURE INFILTRATION OF THE MODULE AND OFFERS AN UPGRADED KIT TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE DEALERS HAVE NO IDEA THIS LETTER EXISTS BECAUSE IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT A RECALL. IN A NUTSHELL, GM IS AWARE THIS SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS IN THEIR VEHICLES BUT ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO AVOID DOING THE RIGHT THING AND REPAIR UNDER A RECALL. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THIS IS THE 3RD MODULE THAT HAS GONE BAD. EACH REPLACEMENT IS $983.00. I'M BUYING A TOYOTA! GM CARS ARE AWFUL AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS WORSE!