NHTSA Complaint #11337926 — 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU

I USED TO GET A WARNING TO "SERVICE AIRBAGS" ON THE STEREO DISPLAY, AND A CHIME, TYPICALLY WHEN I FIRST STARTED UP THE CAR. THIS STARTED WHEN I WAS LIVING IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. I DROVE WITH MY BACKPACK ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND OCCASIONALLY THAT SEAT WOULD CHIME FOR PASSENGER TO BUCKLE UP. THE SERVICE AIR BAG MESSAGE WOULD STAY UP FOR ABOUT 5 MILES OF DRIVING, THEN WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE AGAIN. FINALLY CAUGHT IT IN THE ACT, GOT IT TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY TOLD ME THEIR DIAGNOSTIC CAME UP WITH A PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR WAS FAILING/HAD FAILED. THE ONLY REMEDY OFFERED WAS TO CLEAR THE COMPUTER, OR CONSIDER A BRAND NEW PASSENGER SEAT (WHICH AT THAT TIME EXCEEDED THE ESTIMATED BLUE BOOK VALUE). CLEARING THE COMPUTER OF THAT TROUBLE CODE LASTED ABOUT A WEEK. COULDN'T OFFER MORE INFO SUCH AS IF THE AIRBAG WOULDN'T DEPLOY IF NEEDED, OR IF IT WAS LIKE A JACK-IN-THE-BOX AND MIGHT TRIP UNNECESSARILY. THAT WAS ALMOST 5 YEARS AGO, THIS SUMMER IT STOPPED ADVISING ME OF THE NEED FOR SERVICE. I'M NOT SURE IF THE SENSOR FINALLY GAVE OUT, OR IF SOME COMPONENT(S) WERE DAMAGED IN A COLLISION THAT RIPPED OFF THE BUMPER THIS WINTER.