2008 Saturn Vue

WE PURCHASED A 2008 SATURN VUE ON JUNE 28, 2008. THE PAST 3 WEEKS, THE KEY WOULD PERIODICALLY NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION - SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE SHIFTER SAYING IT WAS NOT COMPLETELY GOING INTO PARK. ALSO, THE AIRBAG LIGHT (FOR DRIVER) STARTING BLINKING AT THE TIME THE ABOVE OCCURRED (THIS WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION). WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, IT STARTED TO BLINK (ONLY LIGHT BLINKING) AND CONTINUED BLINKING WHEN ALL OTHER LIGHTS FADED. NO ERROR MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED BY THE CHIP. MILE ONE SATURN CLAIMS THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE AIR BAG ISSUE, THEREFORE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERCEIVED THERE WAS NO ISSUE AND RELEASED THE CAR TO ME. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WENT BACK IN AND TOLD THEM I WAS NOT TAKING THE CAR UNTIL THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED STRAINED LIGAMENTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINEER WOULD HAVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 24,000. UPDATED 12/17/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/18/08. *JB

AIRBAG ISSUE - REAR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WERE TESTED BY THE IIHS AND FOUND TO BE FAULTY - THEY DID NOT INFLATE QUICKLY ENOUGH, ALLOWING THE REAR OCCUPANTS' HEADS TO HIT THE WINDOW. IT IS STATED ON THE IIHS WEBSITE THAT GM REDESIGNED THESE AIRBAGS AND THAT MODELS MANUFACTURED AFTER DECEMBER 2007 HAVE THE NEW AIRBAGS THAT INFLATE MORE QUICKLY AND EXTEND FURTHER AND HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM. UPON CONTACTING GM CUSTOMER SERVICE CANADA, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THIS INFORMATION AND THAT THE VEHICLE HAS NO SAFETY ISSUES AND "MEETS AND EXCEEDS...GOVERNMENT STANDARDS." THEY TOLD ME THAT SHOULD A RECALL BE ISSUED, I WILL BE INFORMED. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY GM WOULD INVEST MONEY IN FIXING A PROBLEM THAT SUPPOSEDLY DOESN'T EXIST. WHEN I TOLD THE GM CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON THIS, THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCTS AND THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE OLD AIRBAGS, THAT THEY REDESIGNED THEM ANYWAY. OF COURSE, WHEN I ASKED FOR A LETTER STATING THAT THERE WAS NO KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAGS IN MY VUE AND THAT THEY WILL PERFORM UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THE NEWLY DESIGNED AIRBAGS, THEY DECLINED. TYPICAL BUREAUCRATIC NONSENSE - I AM VERY UPSET AT GM'S ATTITUDE AND AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING A DIFFERENT CAR MANUFACTURER FOR MY NEXT VEHICLE. I HOPE MY CHILDREN WILL BE SAFE WITH THE OLD AIRBAGS IN THE BACK SEAT... *TR

WHILE I AM NOT REPORTING ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO YOUR ATTENTION IN HOPES OF PREVENTING UNNECESSARY DEATHS OR INJURIES. THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY NOTED IN THEIR VEHICLE RATINGS THAT 'TWO TESTS OF THE VUE WERE CONDUCTED. IN THE FIRST TEST, THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY, AND THE REAR PASSENGER DUMMY'S HEAD WAS HIT BY THE WINDOW SILL OF THE REAR DOOR. THIS IMPACT DID NOT PRODUCE HIGH HEAD INJURY MEASURES, BUT THE HEAD PROTECTION WAS INADEQUATE. IN RESPONSE, GENERAL MOTORS REDESIGNED THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO ENSURE MORE RAPID INFLATION AND GREATER EXTENSION OF THE AIRBAG NEXT TO THE REAR DUMMY'S HEAD. IN THE SECOND TEST, THE FIX WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND THE HEAD PROTECTION RATING IMPROVED TO GOOD'. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE REDESIGNED AIRBAGS ARE BEING INSTALLED IN ALL VUE'S PRODUCED AFTER DECEMBER 2007, OR FROM JANUARY 2008 ON. I PURCHASED MY 2008 SATURN VUE IN NOVEMBER OF 2007. AS SUCH, I DO NOT HAVE THE REDESIGNED AIRBAGS. I CONTACTED SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER VIA EMAIL AND RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE 'I CURRENTLY AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY REDESIGNS FOR THE SIDE AIR BAGS AND AS ADVISED IN AN EARLIER CORRESPONDENCE, SHOULD THERE EVER BE A CAMPAIGN ISSUED, YOU WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY UNITED STATES MAIL.' AM I TO HOPE THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THAT THESE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOY PROPERLY EVEN THOUGH SATURN CLEARLY KNOWS AND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THROUGH ITS ACTIONS THAT THEY MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY? *TR