2008 Chevrolet Equinox

MY 2008 CHEVY EQUINOX HAS HAD THE AIRBAG ERROR LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE INTERMITTENTLY ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. NOW IT IS JUST ON. PAID $124 TO HAVE IT LOOK AT THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM, CURRENTLY HAS 55K MILES ON IT SO OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SAID THE SENSOR UNIT UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHICH MEAN REPLACING THAT WHOLE SEAT CUSHION OVER $800, THE PART IS OVER $500. WITH THIS AIRBAG ERROR LIGHT ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT ACTIVATE ON IMPACT SO THIS IS A SAFETY RISK. WHY WOULD THIS NOT BE PART OF A RECALL SINCE I READ THE 2007S HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO DAMAGE TO THAT SEAT, THIS IS FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN DISPLAYING INTERMITTENTLY TURNING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ON AND OFF WHILE DISPLAYING A SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG NOW REMAINS OFF AT ALL TIMES STILL DISPLAYING THE SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE. THIS IS WITH A 200 POUND MAN SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE NO LONGER CLEARS THE PROBLEM. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE 2007 EQUINOX WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME REASON SO WHY AREN'T THE 2008 MODELS NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? ALSO, AFTER SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT THEIR EQUINOX HAD THE SAME PROBLEM I STARTED ASKING OTHER OWNERS. APPARENTLY IT IS FAIRLY COMMON AND I GUESS A SOURCE OF INCOME FOR GM. ONE WOMAN TOLD ME THE CHEVY TECH TOLD HER THAT AIR BAG PROBLEMS WERE COMMON AFTER 45,000 MILES AND WAS CONSIDERED A ROUTINE REPAIR. DEALER WANTS $500 PLUS TO REPAIR. AS LONG AS DEALERS ARE TELLING PEOPLE THIS IS A ROUTINE REPAIR NO ONE IS GOING TO REPORT IT AS A PROBLEM. ALSO, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR CONSTANTLY READS 15 POUNDS WHEN TWO SEPARATE MANUAL AIR GAUGES SHOW 37 PSI. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MESSAGE COMES ON PERIODICALLY EVEN WHEN PARKED. DRIVING IS DIFFICULT UNTIL IT CLEARS WHICH IS ALSO AFTER A RESTART. *TR

I TOOK MY 2008 CHEVY EQUINOX TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ROOF RAIL MODULE NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $1,475. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR $175 AND LEAVE EQUINOX FOR REPAIR WHEN THE GM TECH TOLD ME THE EQUINOX WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON COMPLETION, THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS OFF AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT DISPLAYED ON AS MY 115LB DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HALF WAY HOME, PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT SWITCHED TO OFF. WOULD THE AIRBAG HAVE DEPLOYED IN AN ACCIDENT NOW THAT THE SENSOR WASN'T DETECTING ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT? MOST LIKELY NOT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER LIGHT IS ON AND THEN IT GOES OFF. SOMETIMES IT NEVER SENSES A PASSENGER AT ALL. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY WILL NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. THEY WANT TO GIVE A $2,000 LOYALTY CERTIFICATE TO PURCHASE A NEW GM VEHICLE WITHIN A YEAR. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE. PER GM CORPORATE, THIS $1,475 REPAIR IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THIS CONTRADICTS THE CERTIFIED GM TECH WHO TOLD ME THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. HE SAID IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILEAGE OR MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE. A QUALITY VEHICLE & THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS IS OF NO CONCERN TO GM. I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR A YEAR NOW SINCE THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2011 AT A COST OF $545. BOB BELL CHEVY BEL AIR CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEREFORE DEEMED THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I CAN'T HAVE ANYONE SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EQUINOX ON THIS SAME ISSUE. IN FACT, 2007 EQUINOX WAS RECALLED FOR SIMILAR AIRBAG ISSUES. I HAVE REQUESTED A FULL REFUND FROM GM BUT THEY REFUSE. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND MY CHILDREN'S SAFETY. REPLACING AIR BAG MODULES & SENSORS IS NOT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT I SHOULD BE FORCED TO BEAR. *TR

DOES NOT RECOGNIZE PASSENGER, AND AIRBAG IS "OFF". THIS HAS HAPPENED BEGINNING FIRST DAY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, AND INTERMITTENTLY SINCE. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE, AS IT USUALLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ADULT PASSENGER OF LESS THAN ABOUT 150 LBS. MOST RECENT TRIP A FEW DAYS AGO WITH THREE ADULTS OF MEDIUM SIZE HAD PROBLEMS WITH NONE OF OCCUPANTS BEING RECOGNIZED BY SENSOR, EVEN WHEN PROPERLY SEATED AND BUCKLED. LITERATURE STATES PASSENGERS OF OVER ABOUT 100 LBS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED. WE HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT IT SOMETIMES SPONTANEOUSLY SHUTS AIRBAG "OFF" WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD, LEADING TO CONCERN THAT THIS ESSENTIAL SAFETY FEATURE MAY NOT WORK WHEN NEEDED IN A CRASH. WE HAVE FOUND IT NECESSARY TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF ENGINE AND WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING ENGINE TO ACTIVATE PASSENGER AIRBAG. SOMETIMES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS ARE NEEDED, AND PASSENGER HAS HAD TO MOVE TO REAR SEAT WHEN ACTIVATION FAILED. IT ALWAYS RECOGNIZES A LARGER ADULT PASSENGER, BUT TYPICAL PASSENGER IS OF MEDIUM SIZE. THIS IS A COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. GM POSITION IS THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER STANDARD WARRANTY, AND OUR RESEARCH SHOWS REPAIR COST TO BE SUBSTANTIAL. RESEARCH HAS TURNED UP OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING SAME ISSUE WITH SAME VEHICLE. IF A RECALL WERE TO BE CALLED FOR, CUSTOMERS WOULD NOT HAVE TO BEAR THIS HIGH COST. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN TURNING OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY TURNING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ON AND OFF WHILE DISPLAYING A SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER A FEW MONTHS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG JUST REMAINS OFF AT ALL TIMES STILL DISPLAYING THE SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE. THIS IS WITH A 120 POUND WOMAN OR A 170 POUND MAN SITTING IN THE SEAT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE 2007 EQUINOX WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME REASON WHY IS THIS ONE NOT BEING RECALLED? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DID NOT IDENTIFY THAT A PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WOULD NOT TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON FOR DAYS AND GO OFF FOR DAYS AND CONTINUED DOING THIS FOR A MONTH TILL WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM WAS RIGHT FRONT SEAT MODULE SHORTED OUT AND WAS REPLACED. MODULE KIT 14.865 (PART FP 19207140) TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $416.75. AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL PER GM. I DO HAVE A FILE NUMBER WITH GM AND THEY WILL NOTIFY ME SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL. *TT