2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, DID NOT KNOW WHY, I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE. BUT WAS NOT SURE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE AS SURPRISED AS I WAS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE "INFLATABLE RESTRAINT SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE" FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE I DID NOT KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THIS PART AT THE COST OF $800.00. THEY DID GIVE ME THE DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

ON APRIL 30 OF 2008, I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO START MY 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. BOTH AIRBAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED HITTING ME IN THE FACE. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF AN AIR BAG FAULT PRIOR TO DETONATION. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WERE NO WARRANTIES ON THE AIR BAGS, OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL 36000 MILE OF 3 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HAVE HAD NO RESOLUTION ON THE REASON FOR THE EVENT OR THE COST TO GET THIS REPAIRED. I AM ENTERING THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE, HAD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS INCIDENCES OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ON GM PRODUCTS INCLUDING THE SIERRA, SILVERADO AND TAHOE SERIES OF VEHICLE. HOW CAN THE AIRBAG ACTIVATE WITHOUT THE ACCELEROMETER GENERATING A SIGNAL ? IT APPEARS THAT GM MAY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS ON THESE MODEL VEHICLES. IS THERE ANY AGENCY OR LEGAL ENTITY OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT THAT COULD FORCE GM TO DISCLOSE THE CAUSE OF THESE EVENTS AND HELP WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS? *TR

DRIVER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILURE AFTER IMPACT ON ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO TRUCK, OTHER DRIVER CAME ALMOST HEAD ON IN MY LANE TRIED AVOIDING GOT HIT ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR QUARTER PANEL,CAUSED VEHICLE TO SPIN TWICE DUE TO DRIVE SHAFT BROKE UPON 1ST IMPACT,LOST CONTROL OF CAR AFTER SPINNING I WAS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE WHICH CRASHED FRONT END TO DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER CAR. DRIVER THAT HIT ME ON 1ST IMPACT WAS CHARGED WITH DWI AND NO INSURANCE. FUNNY THING I WAS ASKED BY POLICE IF FRONT AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED,AND TOLD HIM NO. BUT WAS NOT NOTED ON HIS REPORT. BOTTOM LINE I HAVE NECK INJURY WHICH I'M TREATING THAT DON'T KNOW THE FINAL OUTCOME YET. *JB

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT VEHICLES THAT HAD THERE SEATS RECOVERED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND NOT GM. I HAVE A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO THAT HAD THE ORIGINAL CLOTH SEATS RECOVERED IN AFTERMARKET LEATHER BY THE DEALERSHIP (THIS VEHICLE HAS THE AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM) AND I WAS WONDERING IF MY VEHICLE IS IMPACTED IN THE SAME WAY AS THOSE VEHICLES BEING RECALLED. THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION IS THAT IN THE REMEDY SECTION OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT 0641700 IT STATES "A REPLACEMENT LEATHER SEAT COVER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM IS NOT AVAILABLE" WHICH MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THE SEAT COVERS INSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP IS UNSAFE. IF MY VEHICLES IS IMPACTED, THEN WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? IF MY VEHICLE IS NOT IMPACTED, THEN HOW AND WHY IS MY SEAT COVERS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SENSING SYSTEM? (I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT I'M CONCERN THE VEHICLE MY BE UNSAFE FOR MY PASSENGER) . *NM