1997 Buick Lesabre

THE HORN WILL SOUND WITHOUT PRESSING THE HORN BUTTON(S) WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR UNOCCUPIED. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND IT IS APPARENTLY AN ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS. PART OF THE AIR BAG CONTRACTS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS PRESSING ON PART OF THE HORN BUTTON. THE ONLY WAY TO SHUT IT OFF IS TO PULL THE HORN FUSE. I AM CONCERNED THIS MAY LEAD TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IF THE HORN SOUNDS FOR TOO LONG OR AN AIR BAG MALFUNCTION. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE DRIVEN WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO USE THE HORN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ALSO DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FACIAL CUTS, BRUISES, A FRACTURED CHEEKBONE AND WHIPLASH THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 197,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING MY CAR. I WAS IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. WE HAD JUST PULLED AWAY FROM THE CURB AND WERE GOING ABOUT 20 MPH. FOR NO REASON, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. WE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING, AND NOTHING HIT US. WE PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT. THE CAR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. I HAD PAIN IN MY ABDOMEN AND COULDN'T HEAR OUT OF MY RIGHT EAR. THE WINDSHIELD ON MY SIDE OF THE CAR(PASSENGER'S SIDE) WAS BROKEN FROM THE IMPACT. HE TOOK ME TO THE LOCAL ER TO BE CHECKED OUT AND I WAS EXAMINED AND RELEASED WITH CONTUSIONS OF RIGHT KNEE, ABDOMEN AND RIGHT EAR. IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND SCARED US BOTH VERY MUCH. I REPORTED THIS TO MY INSURANCE CARRIER THE NEXT MORNING. MY BOYFRIEND WAS NOT INJURED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK EARLY IN THE MORNING ON A PAVED TOWN ROAD WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG ALSO SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAGS OBSTRUCTED MY VISION BOTH IN FRONT AND ON THE SIDE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT, BUT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH BECAUSE OF MY OBSTRUCTED VISION THERE WAS NO INJURY INVOLVED. THE CAR HAD PASSED A MAINE SAFETY INSPECTION IN MAY 2009, SO THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED AT THE TIME THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE 2009 FROM A FRIEND. THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS TORE UP THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP DID NOTHING TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, BUT SAID THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON NORMAL DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE 17 YEAR-OLD DRIVER SUFFERED FIRST DEGREE BURNS ON THE RIGHT FOREARM, AND WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THAT THE INFLATER MODULE MAY CORRODE, CAUSING INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE HORN WILL NOT STOP BLOWING, AND THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY IS MAKING A NOISE. THE SOUND IS COMING OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN DRIVING THE HORN JUST STARTS BLOWING OUT OF NOWHERE, IT JUST STARTS BLOWING, SPECIFICALLY STATES THE CONSUMER. WHEN PRESSING THE HORN PAD IT WILL STOP SOMETIMES. ONE HAS TO PRESS IN A CERTAIN SPOT. THE CAR IS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONSUMER IS GOING TO CALL AND SEE WHAT GM CAN DO. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR TWO WEEKS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER THE DRIVER WAS EVACUATED. THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. FIRE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE STARTED FROM DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. *AK