1999 Buick Lesabre Airbags Problems

I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY AIR BAG FROM THE STEERING COLUMN DEPLOYED IN MY FACE. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. IT WAS ON OR ABOUT 1/25/18. ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THIS EVENT MY HORN BEGAN TO STEADILY BLOW INEXPLICABLY. I DID NOT HAVE ANY REASON TO SUSPECT ANYTHING OTHER THAN A MALFUNCTIONING HORN SO I DISCONNECTED THE WIRES TO THE HORN. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED ABOUT A WEEK LATER I CONCLUDED THE AIR BAG WAS INFLATING INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE HORN SENSOR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO, AFTER WEEKS OF INVESTIGATION, CONCLUDED THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REPAIR IT AND SUGGESTED I CALL GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER ASSIST CENTER. AFTER REVIEWING PICTURES, (NO ONE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY LOOKED AT IT) GM DECIDED CORROSION TO THE SENSING MODULE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I CONTEND THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE VALVE WHICH OVERTIME BEGAN LEAKING GAS INTO THE AIR BAG, HENCE THE ISSUE WITH THE BLOWING HORN.

NHTSA ID

11074558

Incident

Jan 25, 2018

Mileage

205,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG AND AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE ON THE CONTACT'S BEHALF. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. ....UPDATED 0711/16 *BF *CN

NHTSA ID

10870746

Incident

May 25, 2016

Mileage

58,000 mi

DRIVING NORTH ON AVON RD, PLAINFIELD IN, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. IT BLEW THE DRIVERS HANDS OFF THE WHEEL GOING 45 MILES PER HOUR. DID NOT CRASH. THE PASSENGER HAS BRUISES ON LEG. IT HAPPENED EARLY EVENING, STILL LIGHT OUTSIDE, GOOD WEATHER. NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678878

Incident

Jan 14, 2015

Mileage

169,000 mi

RE: ACCIDENT MAY, 27, 2014, NCIC 9245, OFFICER ID 17604 THE ABOVE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE BUICK LE SABRE, 1999, LICENSE # [XXX]. NOT DRIVER ERROR. LEAVING HIGHWAY 193 TURNING ONTO HWY 49, (GOING TOWARD AUBURN) BEING A 2 LANE NARROW WINDING ROAD, THE ENGINE OF THE ABOVE VEHICLE DIED, LOCKED UP THE STEERING, AND HAD NO BRAKES. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP OR CONTROL THE CAR. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A LOSS OF BRAKES. IN TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR IT CAUSED ME TO VEER OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. UPON LEAVING THE ROAD AND CRASHING THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE VERIFIED BY WITNESSES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LOSS OF BRAKES. PASSENGER IN CAR ON TRIP FROM FRESNO TO AUBURN, IN MARCH OF 2013, (MECHANICAL FAILURE OF CAR ENGINE, DIED, NO STEERING), THIS HAPPENED TWICE, ON SAME DAY. CSAA WAS CALLED TO TOW CAR. CONTACT: [XXX] CAR BEING DRIVEN BY [XXX]., (MECHANICAL FAILURE OF CAR, ENGINE DIED, NO STEERAGE), ON HWY 49 AND LONESTAR ROAD. CALLED CSAA. [XXX] THE ENGINE TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING HAD HAPPENED ON OTHER OCCASIONS AND THERE WAS DIFFICULTY IN THE CAR STARTING DURING COLD WEATHER. THE BUICK LESABRE HAS HAD REGULAR SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE. RECORDS OF SERVICE AND REPAIRS CAN BE PROVIDED UPON REQUEST. THE IGNITION KEYS FOR THE BUICK HAD EXTRA KEYS ATTACHED TO IT. THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL KEYS, PLUS KEY LIGHT. LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

NHTSA ID

10598192

Incident

May 27, 2014

Mileage

240,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY ONCE THE ENGINE WAS STARTED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND NECK AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN ADJUSTER SENT BY THE MANUFACTURER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE FLOOR MATS, WHICH HAD BECOME SATURATED AND CORRODED THE AIR BAG WIRING OVER A TIME. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10521054

Incident

Mar 14, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi

AIR BAG DESIGN FLAW - A LIFE THREATENING DESIGN FLAW. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 BUICK LESABRE CUSTOM (PURCHASED AT THE END OF THE MODEL YEAR). THE CAR OFTEN SPENDS TIME IN THE BRIGHT FLORIDA SUN. ALTHOUGH I USE A REFLECTIVE WINDSHIELD SUN SCREEN, THE CAR STILL GETS HOT INSIDE (AS DO MOST FLORIDA CARS). RECENTLY, THE HORN BEGAN TO HONK CONTINUOUSLY. I TOOK IT INTO THE ORANGE BUICK AND GMC DEALER IN ORLANDO FL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE AIR BAG HAS SWOLEN UP AND COMPRESSED THE HORN RELAY. THE AIR BAG IS BROKEN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS APPARENTLY A FLAWED AIR BAG DESIGN, WHICH MUST ALSO ENDANGE PEOPLE WITH THIS STEERING WHEEL/AIR BAG DESIGN, LIVING THROUGHOUT THE HOT SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. THE COST TO REPLACE THE POORLY DESIGNED AIR BAG (WITH ANOTHER ONE HAVING THE SAME POOR DESIGN) IS OVER $700 (DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DO SINCE I RECENTLY LOST MY JOB, WHICH HAS MOVED OFF SHORE TO INDIA). IT SEEMS THAT THE BUICK MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CORRECT THEIR LIFE-THREATENING FLAWED AIR BAG DESIGN. I HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM THE D.O.T. ABOUT THIS LIFE-THREATENING SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062638

Incident

Mar 15, 2004

Mileage

47,500 mi

HORN BLE WOUT INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015376

Incident

May 31, 2002

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

892374

MY VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ( CHEVY ASTRO MINI-VAN) IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. I WAS TRAVELING AT POSTED 30 MPH. MY CAR WAS SHOVED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL OF THE BRIDGE CAUSING SEVERE FRONT DAMAGE AND THEN RIDING UP THE WALL AND THEN BACK ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

727926

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT THROUGH THE MANUFACTURER. YH

NHTSA ID

552696

THE COMPANY/MANUFACTURER FAILED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AFTER THE DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN A MISHAP. YH

NHTSA ID

552496

VEHICLE BEING REPORTED OWNED BY AVIS CORPORATION. DRIVER/PATIENT WAS OPERATING A BUICK LA SABRE, RENTED FROM AVIS. DRIVER STATES HE WAS APPROACHING INTERSECTION, DURING A LIGHT RAIN STORM, AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP OR CONTROL THE BUICK. THE BUICK CONTACT A MID 80'S NISSAN PICKUP TRUCK WHICH WAS IN THE INTERSECTION. THE BUICK APPEARS TO HAVE CONTACT THE FRONT LEFT TIRED, RIDING UP ONTO THE LEFT FENDER AND HOOD OF THE PICKUP. THE PICKUP BODY HAD MODERATE DAMAGE SUGGESTIVE OF CONTACT SPEED BETWEEN 10-20 MPH. BODY DAMAGE TO THE BUICK APPEARS TO BE PRIMARILY ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE LEFT FENDER HAD MINIMUM DAMAGE. THE FRONT BUMPER AND UNDERCARRIAGE APPEARED TO HAVE MODERATE DAMAGE. ALL THE TRANSMISSION OIL FROM THE TRANSAXLE WAS RELEASED ONTO THE PAVEMENT DO TO DAMAGE TO THE TRANSAXLE HOUSING. . BOTH DRIVERS WERE WEARING LAP/SHOULDER HARNESSES AND DID NOT REPORT ANY INJURIES. THE AIRBAGS ON THE BUICK LA SABRE DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE BUICK WAS SITTING WELL BACK FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO HAD A CORRECTLY ADJUSTED HEAD RESTRAINT. GIVEN THE APPARENTLY VOLICITY OF THE BUICK I AM UNCLEAR WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

722665

Incident

May 14, 2000

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. IT WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A SEMI TRAILER TRUCK, THEN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER TRUCK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

857572

Incident

Nov 10, 1999