1999 Cadillac Seville

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO FOLD UP AND PUSH THE AIR BAG BACK INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE PLACED ON THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER DID NOT AGREE WITH THE DEALER NOR THE MECHANIC. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON DRY PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN GEAR, AND SUSTAINED NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE. *SC THE CONSUMER SIFFERED MINOR INJURIES. *JB

ON JUNE 17, AT OR ABOUT 7:30 PM, MY WIFE ENTERED HER VEHICLE, A 1999 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS, SHE TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR, AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON DRY PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN GEAR, AND HAD SUSTAINED NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE MANUFACTURER, TO NO AVAIL. TO DATE, THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ASSIST US WITH THIS PROBLEM. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP, ON FRIDAY, JUNE 18, FIVE DIFFERENT MECHANICS TOLD US THAT THIS TYPE OF DEPLOYMENT IS "NOT SUPPOSED TO OCCUR." THAT, IN FACT, THE AIRBAG SHOULD NOT DEPLOY IF THE CAR IS NOT IN GEAR. FURTHER, UPON CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, I WAS TOLD AGAIN THAT THIS SITUATION SHOULD NOT OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY IS IF MOISTURE OR CORROSION BUILDS UP. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, A WARNING LIGHT WILL DISPLAY TO SIGNAL THE DRIVER THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A MOISTURE OR CORROSION BUILDUP IN THE SYSTEM. SINCE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO, AND SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION BY VIRTUE OF A DISPLAYED WARNING LIGHT, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE OF THIS SYSTEM, ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE DEPLOYMENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER, WITH THOUSANDS OF 1999 CADILLAC SEVILLE'S ON THE ROAD, IT MAY SIMPLY BE A MATTER OF TIME WHEN AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. OBVIOUSLY, DEPLOYMENT UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, RATHER THAN SAVE LIVES, MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF LIFE; AND CONSIDERING THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR ASSIST TO REPAIR SUCH DEFECT, GOVERNMENT OR REGULATORY INTERVENTION IS IMPERATIVE TO AVOID THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE. *NM