2013 Chevrolet Malibu

After my car battery was professionally replaced my airbag light came on. GM dealer service got a code of B101D requiring the airbag control module to be replaced. There are no new compatible modules available in the US. Two GM dealers advised getting a used module that had not been in an airbag deployment. Upon obtaining a compatible module the dealer is now getting a code of B3902, this code indicates that the environment identifier of the module does not match the vehicle and prohibits further programming permitting the airbags to function properly. So GM has intentionally prohibited compatible modules from salvage cars and they are no longer making new modules for my car. How is this ethical, legal, safe or environmentally sound? Are consumers expected to junk a perfectly good automobile absent a $100 part? Is this practice required by some regulation prohibiting airbag modules from being salvaged and reprogrammed?

MY CAR WAS RUNNING IN THE DRIVE WHEN IT DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. EVERYTHING WENT DEAD. I HAD TO JUMP START IT AND AFTER THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS LIGHT ON. I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER WHERE I WAS CHARGED $80.00 TO BE TOLD THAT THE SDM AIRBAG MODULE NEEDS REPLACED AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS IS $1100.00. MY CAR ONLY HAS 108232 MILES ON IT AND TO KNOW THAT IT COULD COST ME EITHER MY FAMILIES LIFE OR $1100.00 EVERYTIME THE BATTERY DIES IS NOT A CHOICE ANYONE SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE. AIRBAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST DEPENDABLE PART OF A VEHICLE AS IT SAVES SO MANY LIVES. HOW DO I KNOW IF THEY ARE EVEN WORKING WITH THE LIGHT OFF IF IT IS THIS SENSITIVE? I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE EVEN IF I GET IT FIXED AND SINCE I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR RECENTLY I OWE TO MUCH TO TRY TO BUY ANYTHING ELSE. HOW CAN PART OF THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAIL SO EASILY AND NOT BE ON RECALL? WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT HAD DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD INSTEAD OF IN THE DRIVEWAY PUTTING THE CAR INTO GEAR? AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP IT NOW HAS A NEW CODE BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT TO FIND OUT WHAT ELSE IS WRONG.

ON MOST OF THE 2013 CHEVY MALIBU THE AIR BAG HAS BEEN RECALLED MY CAR HAS HAD THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2013. I DON'T FEEL SAFE AND WHEN I CALLED CHEVY DIRECTLY THEY TOLD ME TO JUST KEEP CHECKING MY VIN # SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG SOON. IT'S STILL NOT SHOWING UP. I KEEP GETTING A WARNING LOW ENGINE POWER, SOME ONE SAID DON'T DRIVE A CAR THAT SAYS THIS.

[XXX] THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER MY PASSENGER SEAT WAS READJUSTED WHILE IT WAS PARKED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 54000 MILES ON IT. I READ WHERE THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE SENSOR WHICH I WAS QUOTE OVER $1000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PHILLIPS CHEVROLET OF LANSING (17730 TORRENCE AVE, LANSING, IL 60438) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR HAS GONE BAD MAKING IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH A PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE BECAUSE ANYTHING ELECTRONIC ON THE DASH WILL TURN OFF, AS WELL AS THE A/C AND RADIO ETC. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. I'VE SEEM NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AIRBAG SENSOR ISSUES YET EVERYTIME I'VE CHECKED, THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE SENSOR RANDOMLY WENT OUT WHEN THE CAR WAS HARDLY 3 YEARS OLD, THAT IS NOT NORMAL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY GM HAS NOT DONE A RECALL FOR THIS. THIS COULD RESULT IN DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS OR DEATH OF A PASSENGER.

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN APRIL.2020, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND THE PUT IT ON A MACHINE TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT NEEDED TO BE RESET. THEY TOLD ME AT THAT TIME THE 2013 MALIBU HAD A RECALL ON OVER HALF OF THE MALIBU AIRBAGS FROM THE SAME YEAR. THEY CAN FIX IT. AND FOR ME TO KEEP CHECKING FOR MY VIN TO SHOW UP ON THE RECALL LIST. AND THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL IT GETS REPLACED. PLEASE AD MY VIN# TO THE RECALL LIST ASAP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP. AT THAT MOMENT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT CARS AND THE SALES PERSON TOLD ME THEY FIXED MY ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD BE FINE WITH THE VEHICLE. I CAN GET MY ENGINE LIGHT TAKEN CARE OF SINCE IT WAS MY FAULT, BUT I SEE SO MANY RECALLS OUT ON THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE FOR THE AIRBAG AND THERE IS NONE FOR MINE. I REALLY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH THE AIRBAG AND I BELIEVE IT IS A RECALL.