NHTSA Complaint #715650 — 1999 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA

ON 2-12-1999 MY WIFE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND DRIVEN INTO A SEMI DURING A WHITEOUT ON I94 NEAR MARSHALL, MICHIGAN. AUTO-OWNERS INSURANCE DECIDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE OVER OUR OBJECTIONS SINCE THIS INVOLVED COMPLETELY REBUILDING THE VEHICLE AND INSTALLING A NEW FRAME. THE CAR WAS IN THE BODY SHOP 11 WEEKS AND WE TOOK POSSESSION ONLY WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY WOULD ONLY GUARANTEE TO REPAIR ANY FUTURE ITEMS. OUR FIRST NOTICABLE OBJECTION WAS THAT DOOR GAPS WERE 125% GREATER THAN OTHERS. THIS LED US TO INSPECT THE REST OF THE CAR VERY CAREFULLY. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE OF CONCERN. I WILL ONLY GO INTO WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER SAFETY ITEMS NOT COSMETICS. LOUD VIBRATION WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE HOOD LATCHS NEVER SECURED (THIS BOTHERED ME SINCE IT WAS INDICATIVE OF OTHER POSSIBLE FLAWS FROM BEING COMPLETELY REBUILT BY HAND. "GRABBING" DURING TIGHT TURNS - WAS REPAIRED TWICE UNDER BULLETIN 86-74-02 FOR "LAUNCH SHUDDER" - OUR STEERING PROBLEM IS NOT DURING TAKEOFF BUT ONLY THE TIGHT TURNS. THE INSTRUMENTS OCCASSIONALLY GO WACKO AND GIVE FALSE READINGS PARTICULARLY THE OVERHEAD. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH THAT DESTROYED THE FRAME. FROM ALL I HAVE READ TJHIS COULD REOCCUR IN A FUTURE COLLISION AND PERHAPS THE INVERSE COULD OCCUR AND PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT RESULT. BOTH THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE BODY SHOP(OLDS DEALERSHIP) HAVE GIVEN ME LETTER ASSURING ME THEY WILL FIX ANY FUTURE DEFECTS BUT NOT GUARANTEEING THEY NOT OCCUR. ROB THE AGENT AT LES