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Side Airbags

24K views 41 replies 21 participants last post by  Buddy Seymour 
#1 ·
I just bought an 07 TBSS w/the option of side airbags for extra safety. While pulling out of the local Sonic, (kinda fast, not fast enough to spin the tires or anything), there was a bump because of the uneven surfaces from the Sonic driveway and the main road, and I went through it and all of a sudden both side airbags deployed. The car did not bottom out or anything, no impact what so ever. Airbags shouldnt deploy because of bumps running over curbs etc...only on impact, correct? Even the roll over sensor shouldnt have kicked in. I had it towed to back to the dealer requesting another vehicle. And now its a huge deal with GM and the dealer, they looked at the cars computer and couldnt figure out why they deployed. I have a lawyer now. All I want is another SS and to know WHY they deployed. Anyone know of known issues or suggestions, etc..? Thanks,

Logan
 
#4 ·
why would you want the same ss just because they put new airbags in it doesnt mean its not going to happen agin. i also would want a new one or new airbags and what ever runs the bags like computr sensors ect.

if you can i say go for a new one.
 
#5 ·
Just seems pretty extreme to get a new truck for airbags. Heck there are guys out there with blown transmissions and blown engines getting them repaired. With the amount of problems these things have you will probably get a new one with more stuff screwed up on it. I know mine has been a lemon.
 
#7 ·
I'll add to this statement ^^^

If he wants to exercise the lemon law and get a new vehicle then he needs to place all the emphasis on safety... in other words, he's afraid to drive it now because the air bags could deploy and make him crash into a telephone pole and kill his family -- especially the young ones in the back seat.

It can be done.
 
#9 ·
Logan, read the quote below .. you're not the only one with this problem, this post is from another Web site. I would pursue a buyback if it was mine. This is the reason I was going to order my 2008 without side airbags, but they made them standard equipment on the 08s.

Good luck.


[name='Evil_SS_2006' date='Mar 22 2007, 06:43 AM' post='79633']
Anyone ever have your seatbelt pretensioner and curtain airbags just decide to deploy while you are taking a corner? It happened last night...

Other than the sound of a damned 12 gauge going off and the fact that it scared the hell out of me, everything is cool...except that I proceeded to lock the brakes, and hop a curb, hitting a damned street sign because it freaked me out so bad! The dealer is going to be taking care of all of this...

Ya, I know I misspelled the topic...
 
#10 ·
wow because the passenger side seatbelt is totally limp. and the driver is fully tightened and will not release so the saftey belts would have to be replaced as well...I want a new car because the car would never be the same as from the factory. It needs a new headliner seatbelts and it has that dust everywhere....my hearing is fine. my neck is cut from the seat belt and my ribs were bruised, i dunno how they got brusied but they did...
 
#11 ·
This is odd...From what I'm hearing, the front airbags aren't going off in frontal collisions (SS and non SS). You're the second person on the site to have side airbags deploy for no reason (both SS's). What's up here? :undecided
 
#12 ·
Wow, what a fuc*ing dissapointment. I love my SS because I just kicked two cars a$$'s and it's an SUV :D But also because it's an SUV with side airbags and all the other stuff to keep my family safe. Get a brand new one IMO, I would want one in the same situation. :m2:
 
#13 ·
Thats what im trying to do. I have no word from the dealer. the dealer is waiting word on GM what to do next. I love the ss but i really dont wanna have this problem again. Airbags hurt, lol. But if they just refund me, i dunno what ill get,,,maybe a new saleen F-150....so much faster, :)
 
#14 ·
Man now that you said that they hurt that sucks! GM could have a lawsuit on their hands. I had no idea they came far enough out to hit you in the side of the head. Get a cheap lawyer. It won't be very hard to get your money back or a new one. Tell them you have lost some hearing. lol
 
#15 ·
for those who are wondering, GM has agreed to give me another vehicle brand new. (This one even has less miles from the start). Its already at the dealership but i have to wait till thursday to pick it up because the dealer is waiting on GM to pay them....so yeah, same car, w/o side airbags :)
 
#16 · (Edited)
side curtain airbag deployment




Sorry to hear about your case, but it certainly helps me, and you, re a " failure pattern" here.

Same thing happened to my son in my brand new 2007 Saab 9-7X 5.3i. He being the designated driver and only passenger, was driving on 8/29/07 when, all of a sudden, both curtain airbags deployed by themselves. The road was smooth, dry, no collision with anything, no pothole or uneven road surface, no tilting of the vehicle wherein a sensor would think vehicle was about to flip over, no sudden braking. Luckily, my son managed to pull the vehicle over, no accident nor injury. He then proceeded to drive the vehicle to the nearest Saab dealer where it remains, untouched, to this day.

I presume this is the same(?) side curtain airbag system as on the Trailblazer SS, as they are built in the same factory. Waiting on an "independent" engineer contracted by GM to examine the vehicle and make a written report :undecided, as the Saab dealer is clueless:crazy:. GM says it will take 10 to 14 business days to make a "determination." I haven't reported same to NHTSA yet, awaiting what GM does. Undoubtedly, could cost GM $millions in recall costs and lost sales, so best for they to merely say to me, "The airbag deployment cause is inconclusive, we will replace you vehicle with an exact duplicate."
 
#21 ·
Side Airbag Depoyment UPDATE

Sorry to hear about your case, but it certainly helps me, and you, re a " failure pattern" here.

Same thing happened to my son in my brand new 2007 Saab 9-7X 5.3i. He being the designated driver and only passenger, was driving on 8/29/07 when, all of a sudden, both curtain airbags deployed by themselves. The road was smooth, dry, no collision with anything, no pothole or uneven road surface, no tilting of the vehicle wherein a sensor would think vehicle was about to flip over, no sudden braking. Luckily, my son managed to pull the vehicle over, no accident nor injury. He then proceeded to drive the vehicle to the nearest Saab dealer where it remains, untouched, to this day.

I presume this is the same(?) side curtain airbag system as on the Trailblazer SS, as they are built in the same factory. Waiting on an "independent" engineer contracted by GM to examine the vehicle and make a written report :undecided, as the Saab dealer is clueless:crazy:. GM says it will take 10 to 14 business days to make a "determination." I haven't reported same to NHTSA yet, awaiting what GM does. Undoubtedly, could cost GM $millions in recall costs and lost sales, so best for they to merely say to me, "The airbag deployment cause is inconclusive, we will replace you vehicle with an exact duplicate."


Vehicle sitting with dealer since 8/29/07, he's waiting :hissy: on parts for repair as GM says a warranty issue, meaning a defect. GM wants old parts shipped to them for engineering analysis. Being that we know that GM gets the airbags, their controls & sensors from third party manufacturer(s), we know where the blame is. Hope this stuff doesn't come from China!:worried:
 
#17 ·
An engineer will have to come to inspect the vehicle. They did it on mine. It will take forever. (it did for me). They finally did replace mine for a new one. However I requested NO side airbags. I can live without them. I dont plan on rolling over anyways. But whatever, thats up too you if you want them again. The report the engineer will mail you is very very detailed. Mine showed up to 2.5 seconds before "impact" the cars computer knows EVERYTHING that goes on. It knew the speed, the acceleration %, the angle the steering wheel was turned (1/4 turn to the right), it knew everyone was buckled, it knew which sensor commanded the deployment, but it didnt tell me why. In my case, the car thought it was rolling over...so yeah. Good Luck with it and all I can say is...get on their case. Call every day for an update. Remember the dealer can only do so much. Its GM you have to get on. But the dealer can certainly communicate with them if they care.
Logan
 
#18 ·
Man this is scaring the crap out of me:eek: I drive on mountain roads every weekend

I was hit on my side, side airbags didn't deploy... :undecided supposely because it wasn't a hard collision yeah right:weird: time went by so it slipped my mind:worried:

Looks like i'm calling the stealership first thing on monday, I want my airbags working but not deploying right on my face when I'm at a drive through:hissy::crazy:
 
#20 ·
I wouldn't buy a vehicle if it didn't come with airbags and was an option. To me it is just too important of a safety feature. They shouldn't go off from a curb, but they defintely need to go off in a strong side impact. I've seen the front's not go off but only with moderate damage and a direct frontal impact.
 
#24 ·
In the shop

I turned my trailblazer into the dealership the next day which was a saturday and could not talk to the service manager till monday. I finally talked to him and he gave me GM,s number cause it has nothing to do with the dealership so I called and I put the claim through them stating that I didnt want back my truck and that Im traumatized to the point were I dont even want my truck back with the whole situation due to me being a single father and my children are with me majority of the time overall this could of been very ugly and this is a big safety issue. For all you trailblazer owners I wouldnt take no chances cause tell what have you ever had a shotgun gun go off next to your face "MY HEARING IS STILL DEMINISHED" it is no fun let me tell you. This was a very disturbing expierence and Im just waiting to see what they say and if I dont like it then they will be hearing from lawyer ASAP.:confused:
 
#31 ·
I believe they were standard in '02, at least on the Envoy/Bravada, and became optional in '03. Seats without airbags physically don't have the cut-out for the bag assembly in them for the cloth interiors. With leather, there may not be a cut-out OR they may have a plastic cover that snaps in place of the airbag assembly......I've seen both.
 
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