Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 34 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 34, in the owner's own words
"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE TRIED TO COONTACT DEALSHIPS, AND AM BEING TOLD MY VEHICLE DOESN'T "SHOW UP"? YET MY CAR IS VERIFIED FROM WWW.NHTSA.GOV ( MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERN040002 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER04V036.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED ON ICE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED SPINE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
I REAR ENDED SOMEONE GOING 45 MPH AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY. THIS WAS A FRONTAL CRASH AND FROM ALL THE LITERATURE I HAVE READ, IT INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. *NM
(1) MY COUSIN WAS DRIVING HER 1998 CAVALIER WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE (2) HER DRIVER'S SIDE CHAIR BROKE LOSE AND HER SEAT BELT CAME OUT OF ITS FASTENER AND THE METAL "HOOK" STRIKING HER BODY RESULTING IN A LACERATION. HER BODY WAS THEN THROW FORWARD WITH SUCH GREAT FORCE THAT SHE HIT THE WINDSHIELD WITH HER HEAD TWICE RESULTING IN A CONCUSSION, BLACK EYE, SWOLLEN FOREHEAD AND OTHER CUTS AND BRUISES. ADDITIONALLY, AT THE POINT OF IMPACT, DESPITE THE FORCE WITH WHICH SHE WAS STRUCK, HER AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE FURTHER PREVENTED HER STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD. EVERY SAFETY DEVICE IN THIS VEHICLE FAILED MISERABLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY.
WHILE SLOWING FROM A SPEED OF 45 MPH THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM THE CONSUMER TRIED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS THE AIR BAG WAS BLOCKING HER VIEW. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP IN A DITCH. TWO WITNESSES ASSISTED THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO COLLISION UNTIL THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *TC
THE FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. *AK. NO COLLISION PRIOR TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, SLOWED TO STOP, APPROXIMATELY FROM STOP SIGN. AIR BAG DEPLOYED, VEHICLE SKIDDED INTO A DITCH. *AK
THE CONSUMER WAS SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION AND WITHOUT WARNING, ANOTHER DRIVER RAN A RED LIGHT AND HIT THE DRIVER HEAD ON AT THE INTERSECTION. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD A NECK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
VEHICLE'S AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD.*MR THE CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT. THIS IS A VERY HARZARDOUS AND SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER IS SUGGESTING THAT RESEARCH BE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE VEHICLE OR WHETHER OR NOT A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE. *CB *JB
THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING SEATBELT AND AIR BAG LIGHT WILL LIGHT UP INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING SEATBELT AND AIR BAG LIGHT WILL LIGHT UP INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
CAR WAS STOPPED ABOUT 2 FEET FROM WALL. FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE ALLOWING CAR TO ROLL FORWARD, CAUSING IT TO BUMP WALL. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG BUSTED WINDSHIELD. PARTS/SERVICE MANAGER AT OUR LOCAL GENERAL MOTORS DEALER REMOVED BUMPER AND INSPECTED, AND HE SAW NO REASON WHY AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. ALSO, THERE IS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE OTHER THAN AIR BAGS DEPLOYING AND BUSTED WINDSHIELD. HE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND REPORTED THIS. THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND THEY ALSO REFUSED TO SEND AN INSPECTOR. *AK
APPROXIAMATELY 2 MONTHS INTO OWNING THE VEHICLE THE PROBLEMS STARTED. FIRST THE SEAT BELT COVERS SNAPPED OFF, I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING STABILIZERS REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY, THE AIR CONDITIONER WHICH IS RARELY USED FAILED AT ABOUT 55-60,000 MILES, THE BATTERY BUSTED AND LEAKED ON THE ENTIRE RIGHT SIDE UNDER HOOD, THE JACK WAS WARPED, THE GAS GUAGE READS INCORRECTLY, THE SUNROOF STOPPED WORKING AFTER 30000 MILES, DASH RATTLES, GLOVE BOX WILL NOT STAY CLOSED, PASS SEAT GETS STUCK WHEN YOU MOVE IT FORWARD, THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK AND YOU HAVE TO APPLY MORE FORCE THAN USUAL TO GET IT MOVING, DRIVERS DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY, MORE AIR THAN NORMAL COMES INTO VEHICLE, THERMOSTAT FAILED AT 30000 MILES, INSTALLED SIDEWINDER 6500 CAR ALARM WHICH FAILED TO OPERATE AFTER THE BATTERY BUSTED, PLUS NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS NOT MENTIONED HERE.*AK
AIR BAG STAYS ON, 3 MODULES REPLACED, PROBLEM STILL PRESENT. HORN WOULD NOT WORK WITH STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT, REPLACED CANCELLING CAM. OK. CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT, REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX, OK. A/C RUMBLES AT IDLE WHEN HOT, REPLACED BELT AND TENSIONER, PROBLEM STILL PRESENT BUT NOT AS LOUD. DOME LIGHT STAYS ON, REPLACED ALARM MODULE, OK.
HAD TROUBLE WITH TRACTION LIGHT. CAR WOULD LOSE TRACTION EVEN WITH NEW TIREW ALL TIME BRAKES AND CAR WAS TOTALED IN CAR WRECK, AIRBAGS DID NOT COME OUT, AND DAUGHTER WAS HURT. IT WAS A FRONT AND SIDE AND BACK HIT AT 55-60 MPH, HITTING A RAMP DIRECT AND BOUNCING OFF, AND HITTING AGAIN ON AN INTERSTATE. VERY UPSET THAT AIRBAGS DID NOT COME OUT, WOULD OF PREVENTED MAYBE DAUGHTER FROM GETTING HURT SO BADLY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A WARNING OR A REASON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH, VEHICLE SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A CAT ON THE ROAD, AND HIT A PARKED CAR IN THE STREET. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK
THE TELEPHONE POLE WAS STRUCK HEAD-ON AT 20 MPH , AIRBAGS FAILED TO DELPOY. AS RESULT, SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE HEAD-ON, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK
THE CAR HAS FRONT AIRBAGS, THE REAR SEAT FOLDS DOWN TO EXTEND THE TRUNK AREA. THIS CAN BE DONE BY PULLING THE STRAP WITH ONE FINGER . WHERE DO I SAFELY SECURE A REAR FACING INFANT CAR SEAT AND A TWO MONTH OLD CHILD? IN CALLING THE DEALER I WAS TOLD OF THE COMPLICATED LENGTHY PROCESS REQUIRED TO GET PERMISSION TO REMOVE THE AIRBAG. THEN THERE IS A $500 CHARGE WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD. CAN SHE SAFELY RIDE IN THIS NEW CAR TOMORROW? WHICH IS WORSE A MINOR REAR END ACCIDENT WHICH COULD DROP THE SEAT ON TOP OF THE CAR SEAT AND CHILD, OR AN ACCIDENT CAPABLE OF DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG AND PROBABLY CAUSING THE SEAT TO DROP.
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG RESULTING IN INJURY TO CONSUMER WHEN AIR BAG EXPLODED IN FACE AND BODY WHILE PARKING VEHICLE (RENTED VEHICLE). (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) MJS.
CONSUMER RAN OFF THE ROAD, HITING A POLE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK.
ON DECEMBER 12, 1998 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH I REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS I FOLLOWED THE OTHER DRIVER TO A NEAR BY PARKING LOT TO EVALUATE THE DAMAGE MY AIR BAGS BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WENT OFF. I BELIEVE THEY FAILED IN THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY DIDNT INFLATE UNTIL ABOUT 3 TO 5 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHEN WE WERE PULLING OFF THE ROAD. WHEN THEY FINALLY DID EJECT AND INFLATE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER BLEW OUT AND SHATTERED MY WINSHIELD CAUSING AN ADDITIONAL $412 WORTH OF DAMAGE!!! I AM JUST GLAD IT WASNT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULD OF BEEN TOTALLY USELESS. I TRUELY BELIEVE THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE INOPERABLE AND CAUSED ME AN ADDITIONAL $412 IN THE COST OF MY REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT DUE TO THE FACT THEY WERE NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY I SHOULD BE INTITLED TO SOME SORT OF RETRIBUTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND RAPID RESPONSE TO MY PROBLEM AND CONCERN!!!
WHILE DRIVING 20-25MPH, GOING UP RAMP, FRONTAL IMPACT OCCURRED. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BROKE WINDSHIELD AND SUNROOF. DEALER CONTACTED AND REPAIRS WILL BE MADE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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