1996 Buick Regal Airbags Problems

ON JULY 17, 2019 AT 8:40AM, I GOT INTO MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE AIRBAG EXPLODED. (THE CAR WAS NOT STARTED.) THE AIRBAG SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BEING FIRED AND A POWDER LIKE SUBSTANCE IMMEDIATELY FILLED THE CAR. THE AIRBAG ITSELF HIT ME IN THE ABDOMINAL AREA. I FOUND THE DOOR HANDLE, OPENED THE DOOR, AND ROLLED OUT OF THE CAR ONTO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, I YELLED FOR MY SON. MY SON PICKED ME UP OFF THE GROUND AND CALLED AN AMBULANCE DUE TO ME BEING IN A SEVERE AMOUNT OF PAIN AND IN SHOCK. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND OBSERVED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. I HAD SEVERAL FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. INSURANCE CAME TO LOOK AT CAR, FILLED OUT PAPERWORK, AND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN MOVED SINCE THIS INCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11265621

Incident

Jul 17, 2019

Mileage

102,931 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,035.

NHTSA ID

10463618

Incident

Jun 29, 2012

Mileage

55,035 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED ABRASIONS TO THE LEFT FOREARM. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH CAUTION TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000. UPDATED 10/20/10 *BF UPDATED 10/26/10*JB

NHTSA ID

10344035

Incident

Jul 17, 2010

Mileage

182,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. AFTER INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR CRASH. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 157,000.

NHTSA ID

10252282

Incident

Dec 19, 2008

Mileage

157,000 mi

ON JANUARY 21, 2006 AT 7:10 AM, WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON U.S. 1, A BUSY STREET DURING RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC, MY DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO CRASH INVOLVED NOR DID MY CAR COME INTO ANY CONTACT WITH ANY OBJECT. I DIDN'T EVEN APPLY THE BRAKES. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, IT HIT ME IN THE FACE AND BURNED MY HAND. FOR ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN SECONDS I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS LIKE I HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND THEN WHOOSH, THE WHOLE BAG WAS IN MY FACE. I WAS CRUISING IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF LIGHT TRAFFIC, AND FORTUNATELY, WAS ABLE TO STOP, THEN PULL OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I THEN CALLED MY LOCAL BUICK DEALER AND COMPLAINED TO SERVICE WRITER "PAUL." HE TOLD ME TO GET MY CAR TO HIM AT MY COST NEXT TUESDAY, AND HE WANTED TO CHARGE ME FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THIS MEANS I HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS BUICK'S FAULT -- INVESTIGATING A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS ACCEPTABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10148276

Incident

Jan 19, 2006

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHEN THE DRIVER PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR FACIAL BURNS AND BRUISES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. A BUICK ENGINEER DETERMINED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE AIR BAG, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK *CB *JB

NHTSA ID

10044549

Incident

Aug 18, 2003

Mileage

98,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE DRIVER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AFTER SEEING A DEER ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD GONE OFF THE ROAD AND ROLLED OVER INTO A DITCH. BOTH OF THE FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER'S NOSE WAS BROKEN AND AN ARTERY WAS PUNCTURED IN THIS RIGHT EYE. *AK *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10040415

Incident

Sep 21, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE SWERVED TO MISS A DEER AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE BROKE THROUGH A GUARD RAIL AND DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THEN, IT FLIPPED TWICE BEFORE COMING TO A REST. BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS BROKE, AND FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED FACIAL BRUISING/ABRASIONS, AND A BROKEN NOSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044500

Incident

Sep 21, 2003

Mileage

15,000 mi

THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. THE DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CONSUMER HAD GONE TO TWO SEPARATE SERVICE DEALERS WHO SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE MODULE COIL AND WIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10034023

Incident

Jun 22, 2003

Mileage

52,880 mi

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL, IN ANY DIRECTION,THERE'S A "RUBBING" NOISE FROM WITHIN STEERING COLUMN. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE CLOCKSPRING WAS RUBBING AGAINST SOME INTERNAL WIRES AND IF THE WIRES SHORT THE AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. PH

NHTSA ID

10005927

Incident

Jan 20, 2003

Mileage

88,000 mi

THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. OTHER THAN THE SHOCK OF WHAT HAPPENED , I ONLY SUSTAINED A SCRATCH ON MY FACE AS A RESULT OF THE DEPLOYMENT. THE DEALER WANT TO CHARGE $800 TO REPAIR THE AIR BAG WHICH SEEMS UNFAIR DUE TO THE APPARENT DEFECT OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT AFTER SEEING ACTION # EA99-026 WITH A SUJECT OF " INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT" IN YOUR MONTHLY DEFECT INVESTIGATION REPORT THINKING THIS INCIDENT MAY BE RELATED? THANKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

754836

Incident

Jun 27, 2001

CONSUMER CRANKED THE ENGINE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH ANY OBJECT. AIRBAG EXPLOSION CAUSED MINOR INJURIES TO CONSUMER.*AK

NHTSA ID

894463

Incident

Aug 13, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT WILL COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON.*AK THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN MAKING THE DRIVER NERVOUS. *YH

NHTSA ID

874104

Incident

Oct 30, 2000

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL SIDE COLLISION. UOPN IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MAJOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

873479

Incident

Apr 21, 2000

AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ON. CARRIED TO HAVE CHECKED. PROBLEM LOCATED WITH A MODULE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. CARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE TO CHECK. REPLACED COIL, BUT THAT DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TRIED TO ORDER ANOTHER PART FOR THE AIR BAG. PART WAS ON BACKORDER DUE TO A RECALL OF 1995 BUICK REGAL. THE SAME PART REQUIRED TO FIX MY PROBLEM WITH SAME PRODUCT CODE IS THE SAME PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE 1995 BUICK REGAL. WHY HASN'T THE 1996 BUICK REGAL AIRBAG PROBLEM BEEN RECALLED. I HAVE TALKED TO BUICK AIR BAG HOTLINE. THEY SAY IT COULD BE A WHILE TO GET THE PART BECAUSE OF THE RECALL. WHY HASN'T THE AIRBAG FOR MY CAR BEEN RECALLED YET OR WILL IT? I SEE WHERE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING THIS ALREADY. ACTION #EA99026 FOR THE 1996 BUICK REGAL. CAMPAIGN # 00V171000. I WANTED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR TO FURTHER AID IN A POSSIBLE RECALL. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

729706

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AT 30MPH. UPON IMPACT, SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER RECEIVED A BROKEN BREAST BONE. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID

841356

Incident

Jul 16, 1997

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHILE BACKING OUT THE VEHICLE. HORN STARTED TO SOUND OFF, AND SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR UNKOWN REASON. DEALER/MFR. NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

827368

Incident

Aug 10, 1998

CONSUMER STATES AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

822058

Incident

Mar 18, 1998

IN AN ACCIDENT BETWEEN 40-60 MPH, 12:00 POSITION, CAR HIT GAURDRAIL AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN RIB AND OTHER INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

810161

Incident

Mar 18, 1997

DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON FRONT END IMPACT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL, HIT TELEPHONE POLE, SPEED 25 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ID

800379

Incident

Jul 7, 1996

DESIGN OF VEHICLE IS SUCH THAT SHORTER PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER OF INJURY FROM BEING TOO CLOSE TO AIR BAG WHEN IT INFLATES. *DSH

NHTSA ID

501269

Incident

Feb 5, 1996