2010 CHEVROLET COBALT SS — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

"SERVICE AIR BAG" MESSAGE SHOWS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE MESSAGE WILL DISPLAY AT ANY RANDOM TIME, WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. ACCORDING TO GENERAL MOTORS BULLETIN NO.: 09-09-40-003A, "THE WIRE ON THE BELT TENSION SENSOR (BTS), THAT IS PART OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY, MAY BECOME OPEN OR ACQUIRE A GROUND NEAR THE SENSOR. IF THE BTS IS ROTATED TOWARD THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, ADDED STRESS IS APPLIED TO THE WIRE BUNDLE THAT MAY CAUSE AN OPEN OR A GROUND PATH." GENERAL MOTORS BULLETIN NO.: 09-09-40-003A STATES THAT THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED: 2006-2008 CHEVROLET COBALT COUPE 2008-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT SS COUPE 2006 PONTIAC PURSUIT COUPE (CANADA ONLY) 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 COUPE THIS CONCERN MAY CAUSE AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED, WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. HOWEVER, GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

"SERVICE AIR BAG" MESSAGE SHOWS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE MESSAGE WILL DISPLAY AT ANY RANDOM TIME, WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. ACCORDING TO GENERAL MOTORS BULLETIN NO.: 09-09-40-003A, "THE WIRE ON THE BELT TENSION SENSOR (BTS), THAT IS PART OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY, MAY BECOME OPEN OR ACQUIRE A GROUND NEAR THE SENSOR. IF THE BTS IS ROTATED TOWARD THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, ADDED STRESS IS APPLIED TO THE WIRE BUNDLE THAT MAY CAUSE AN OPEN OR A GROUND PATH." GENERAL MOTORS BULLETIN NO.: 09-09-40-003A STATES THAT THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED: 2006-2008 CHEVROLET COBALT COUPE 2008-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT SS COUPE 2006 PONTIAC PURSUIT COUPE (CANADA ONLY) 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 COUPE THIS CONCERN MAY CAUSE AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED, WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. HOWEVER, GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

"SERVICE AIR BAG" MESSAGE SHOWS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE MESSAGE WILL DISPLAY AT ANY RANDOM TIME, WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. ACCORDING TO GENERAL MOTORS BULLETIN NO.: 09-09-40-003A, "THE WIRE ON THE BELT TENSION SENSOR (BTS), THAT IS PART OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY, MAY BECOME OPEN OR ACQUIRE A GROUND NEAR THE SENSOR. IF THE BTS IS ROTATED TOWARD THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, ADDED STRESS IS APPLIED TO THE WIRE BUNDLE THAT MAY CAUSE AN OPEN OR A GROUND PATH." GENERAL MOTORS BULLETIN NO.: 09-09-40-003A STATES THAT THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED: 2006-2008 CHEVROLET COBALT COUPE 2008-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT SS COUPE 2006 PONTIAC PURSUIT COUPE (CANADA ONLY) 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 COUPE THIS CONCERN MAY CAUSE AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED, WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. HOWEVER, GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES ON IT. IT IS ALWAY GARAGE (ENCLOSED). DURING ITS 3000 MILES, IT HAS ONLY HAD ONE PASSENGER FOR ABOUT A 100 MILE TRIP. NO ONE HAS RIDEN IN THE BACKSEAT NOR HAS THE REAR SEAT BEEN USED FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS. THE INTERIOR HAS NOT BEEN CLEANED (NOT NEEDED). IT IS A COLLECTOR CAR AND USED AS SUCH FOR OCCASIONAL TRIPS. LAST WEEK, THE SIR INSTRUMENT LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED (SERVICE AIRBAG) WHILE ON A TRIP TO EXERCISE THE CAR (CAR WAS STATIONARY AND THE SIR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS STARTED). SEE GM SERVICE BULLETIN 09-09-40-003A ISSUED AUGUST 2010. WHEN SIR IS ILLUMINATED, THE AIRBAGS ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL, BUT THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE. SEEMS GM HAS A LATENT DEFECT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND ITS WIRING BUNDLE. GM DEALER CHARGE ~$500 TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND ITS DEFECTIVE WIRING BUNDLE. THEY ALSO LOOSEN THE WIRE BUNDLE LEADING TO THE RETRACTOR TO GIVE IT MORE PLAY AND ALTER THE SEAT BELT SLEEVE TO ALLEVIATE BINDING OF THE WIRING BUNDLE. THIS PROBLEM IS GENERIC TO THE WHOLE COBALT LINE AND ITS PONTIAC COUSIN THE G%. SINCE THE FIX IS COSTLY, MOST FOLKS CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE AUTOMOBILE AND DON'T REALIZE THE AIRBAGS ARE NONFUNCTIONAL. THIS PRESENTS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD TO THE OWNERS AND PASSENGERS OF COBALT AUTOMOBILES. THIS SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE MANDATORY RECALL FOR GM!!!

MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES ON IT. IT IS ALWAY GARAGE (ENCLOSED). DURING ITS 3000 MILES, IT HAS ONLY HAD ONE PASSENGER FOR ABOUT A 100 MILE TRIP. NO ONE HAS RIDEN IN THE BACKSEAT NOR HAS THE REAR SEAT BEEN USED FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS. THE INTERIOR HAS NOT BEEN CLEANED (NOT NEEDED). IT IS A COLLECTOR CAR AND USED AS SUCH FOR OCCASIONAL TRIPS. LAST WEEK, THE SIR INSTRUMENT LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED (SERVICE AIRBAG) WHILE ON A TRIP TO EXERCISE THE CAR (CAR WAS STATIONARY AND THE SIR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS STARTED). SEE GM SERVICE BULLETIN 09-09-40-003A ISSUED AUGUST 2010. WHEN SIR IS ILLUMINATED, THE AIRBAGS ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL, BUT THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE. SEEMS GM HAS A LATENT DEFECT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND ITS WIRING BUNDLE. GM DEALER CHARGE ~$500 TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND ITS DEFECTIVE WIRING BUNDLE. THEY ALSO LOOSEN THE WIRE BUNDLE LEADING TO THE RETRACTOR TO GIVE IT MORE PLAY AND ALTER THE SEAT BELT SLEEVE TO ALLEVIATE BINDING OF THE WIRING BUNDLE. THIS PROBLEM IS GENERIC TO THE WHOLE COBALT LINE AND ITS PONTIAC COUSIN THE G%. SINCE THE FIX IS COSTLY, MOST FOLKS CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE AUTOMOBILE AND DON'T REALIZE THE AIRBAGS ARE NONFUNCTIONAL. THIS PRESENTS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD TO THE OWNERS AND PASSENGERS OF COBALT AUTOMOBILES. THIS SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE MANDATORY RECALL FOR GM!!!