FOR QUITE SOME TIME, THE FRONT RIGHT AIR BAG SENSOR DOES NOT SENSE THAT THERE IS A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT. WE HAVE HAD THE SENSOR CHECKED REPEATEDLY AT THE DEALER, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM (SAYING EVERYTHING IS FINE). THE PASSENGERS TYPICALLY ARE OUR CHILDREN, BOTH OF WHOM ARE 5'9" TALL AND WEIGH 120 TO 125 POUNDS. WE USUALLY HAVE TO STOP THE CAR, TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON, AND THEN IT WORKS. THIS PAST WEEK, THE SENSOR WAS FLASHING, AND WE GOT A RELATED "SERVICE AIR BAG" LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS A $1,000 REPAIR TO REPLACE THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SENSOR MODULE. THIS AFTER WE HAVE HAD THIS ITEM CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES (AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING WRONG WITH IT), AND, AFTER A FULL EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR (WHICH INCLUDED AIR BAGS) HAS EXPIRED. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR 2007 GMC ACADIAS FOR IMPROPER SENSORS, BUT OUR CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IN 'GOOGLING' THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, WE SEE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON OFFICIAL CAR SITES LIKE EDMUNDS, STATING A SIMILAR PROBLEM FOR OTHER ACADIAS. WE BELIEVE THAT GMC HAS KNOWN THAT IT HAS HAD FAULTY SENSORS ON THEIR 2007 GMC ACADIA MODELS, BUT DID NOT MAKE THEIR 2007 RECALL COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH. WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE NHTSB TO INVESTIGATE WITH GMC HOW MANY OTHER 2007 GMC ACADIAS HAVE BEEN SERVICED FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. OUR CAR HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY VEHICLE CRASH OR ACCIDENT. *TR
2012
SEAT BELTS
I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SEAT BELT "LOCKING" MECHANISM IN CARS. WHILE I UNDERSTAND IT WAS MADE FOR LOCKING CARSEATS TIGHTLY INTO PLACE, I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THERE NOT BEING A "RELEASE" OR "DISENGAGE" SYSTEM IN PLACE. YESTERDAY, MY SON WAS ALMOST STRANGLED TO DEATH BECAUSE OF THIS LOCKING MECHANISM. HE PULLED THE SEATBELT OUT FAR ENOUGH SO THAT WHEN HE RELEASED IT, IT STARTED CLICKING (LOCKING) AND THE BELT GOT WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK IN THE PROCESS. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I TRIED TO GET THE SEATBELT OFF OF HIS NECK, IT WAS SO TIGHT THAT WE ALMOST HAD TO CUT THE BELT TO RELEASE IT. INSTEAD, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO FLIP MY SON UPSIDE DOWN AND TWIST HIM OUT OF THE NOOSE. IF MY HUSBAND HADN'T BEEN WITH ME, I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. ESPECIALLY SINCE ONE OF US HAD TO HOLD ONTO THE SEATBELT ENTIRE TIME SO THAT IT DIDN'T TIGHTEN ANY FURTHER (WITHOUT TWO OF US THERE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO GET MY SON OUT OF THERE). IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A "RELEASE" BUTTON TO DISENGAGE THE LOCK POSITION OF THE SEATBELT, THEN WE COULD HAVE EASILY RELEASED THE BELT FROM MY SON'S NECK. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY THERE SHOULDN'T BE SOME SORT OF RELEASE MECHANISM FOR TIMES LIKE THIS. *TR
