NHTSA Complaint #707869 — 1990 CADILLAC DEVILLE

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY-SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE I SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODER AND THEN SEEN WHISPS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK SIDE OF THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL-I SHUT OFF THE IGNITION AND THE SMOKE QUIT SHORTLY AFTER - I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG STARTED TO SMOKE IN A FEW SECONDS AGAIN--I DISCONNECTED THE S.I.R. CONNECTOR ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE-NO SMOKE OR SMELL WITH S.I.R. DISCONNECTED-I REMOVED THE AIR BAG FROM THE STEERING WHEEL-ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE AIR BAG MODULE THERE IS A ROUND STEEL CAP ABOUT 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND 1/2 HIGH FASTENED TO THE BACK OF THE AIR BAG MODULE--THIS WAS VERY HOT AND HAD BLACK SOOT COMING OUT ALL AROUND THE EDGES WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE AIR BAG MODULE-----I TOOK THE AIR BAG MODULE TOO MY LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER-THEY CHECKED FOR ANY RECALLS OR TECH BULLETINS AND SAID I SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC DIV. CONCERNING THIS AS IT WAS PAST WARRANTY--I CALLED CADILLAC CONSUMER RELATIONS CENTER ON 4/12/90 THEY SEEMED CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND TOOK A VERY DETAILED REPORT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED -EVEN THE TIME OF DAY AND TEMP.--THEY SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME IN3-5 DAYS--ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF LATER THEY GOT CALLED ME BACK AND SAID VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I SHOULD BRING IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND GET IT FIXED AT MY EXPENSE-.-I TOLD THEM I WOULD CONTACT THE NHTSA AS I FELT THIS WAS A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN-THEY JUST SAID THEY WOULD NOTATE IT IN THE FILE. *AK