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 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THEN TURNS OFF. SPEED, ROAD CONDITIONS, AND GEAR MAKE NO DIFFERENCE AS TO WHEN IT COMES ON. IT HAS COME ON WHILE TURNING, WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AT 20 MPH, WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP, AND WHILE GOING 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY.
TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING TELEPHONE POLE. SNAPPED IN HALF, CAR TOTALED. STATE ROAD 252 MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA. CAR IN MOTION.
TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING TELEPHONE POLE. SNAPPED IN HALF, CAR TOTALED. STATE ROAD 252 MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA. CAR IN MOTION.
IN MOTION. 2004 CAVALIER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY AFTER IMPACT WITH TELEPHONE POLE. PICTURE OF POLE SNAPPED IN HALF. STATE ROAD 252 MARTINSVILLE INDIANA. PICTURE OF POLE CAR IS TOTALED.
HORN DOESN'T WORK, HAD IT LOOK AT BY MECHANIC, HE SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AIRBAG. THEN HAD IT LOOK AT BY A STEERING COLUMN MECHANIC, HE SAID IT WAS THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR
AIR BAGS DID NOT COME OUT CAR FLIPPED OVER TWICE AND THERE WAS 1 DEATH AND 1 INJURY. *TR
HORN WON'T BLOW, HAD IT SERVICED AND THEY SAID HORN WAS GOOD. THEY TRACK THE SITUATION BACK TO THE AIR BAG/HORN CONNECTION. NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE HORN WON'T BLOW. THE GUY THAT SERVICED IT , SAID THE CONNECTION FOR THE HORN IS CONNECTED TO THE AIR BAG AND I WOULD NEED A NEW AIR BAG TO POSSIBLE FIX THIS ISSUE. WHAT COULD I POSSIBLE DO TO GET THIS CORRECTED? IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, I'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND GETTING MORE WORRIED ABOUT IT LATELY. *TR
RECENTLY GENERAL MOTORS ISSUED A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR SOME OF THEIR CARS, BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE VEHICLES AFFECTED WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. HERE IS A LIST OF CARS CURRENTLY LISTED, BUT I WANT MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER ADDED TO THE RECALL TOO: CHEVROLET COBALT, PONTIAC G5, SATURN ION, CHEVROLET HHR, PONTIAC SOLSTICE, AND SATURN SKY. MANY YEARS AGO I TRIED TO GET A LOCAL CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER TO FIX THE PROBLEM IN MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THEY COULD NOT FIX IT, SO WE JUST KEPT DRIVING THE CAR. HAD I KNOWN IT WOULD AFFECT THE AIR BAGS GETTING DEPLOYED I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU SOONER. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO GET FIXED BY GM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON ALL MODELS LISTED INCLUDING MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE DEFECT ALLOWS THE IGNITION SWITCH TO MOVE FROM "RUN" TO "ACCESSORY" IF I HIT A BUMP OR I USE A HEAVY KEY CHAIN. THAT SHUTS OFF THE ENGINE AND MAY DISABLE THE FRONT AIR BAGS. THE LOSS OF THE AIR BAG CRASH PROTECTION IS MY BIGGEST WORRY. PLEASE HELP ME GET THIS FIXED AND WARN OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN A TRUCK CRASHED INTO HER VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. SHE ALSO CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER WERE INJURED AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE POLICE WAS THERE BUT NO REPORT WAS FILED. THE GM MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. A REPRESENTATIVE WAS SCHEDULED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BUT THEY NEVER CAME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 03/05/10
VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH SEAT AND AIRBAG FAILURE ON 5-23-08. REPORTED TO GM 5/27/08 CASE. SPOKE WITH GM REP THEN TRANSFERRED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO SAID HE WOULD DISCUSS WITH DISTRICT MANAGER. ON 1/8/10 I AGAIN CALLED FOR FOLLOW-UP. THE PREVIOUS CASE HAD BEEN CLOSED AND A NEW ONE OPENED AND I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE CONTACTED. I FOLLOWED UP ON 2/16/09 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS BEING HANDLED BY MOTORS LIQUIDATION. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN WAS SAFETY BASED - NOT MONEY BASED, STILL HAD THE VEHICLE FOR AN INVESTIGATION. THE REP. EXPLAINED BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE "NEW" GM THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT IT. I EXPLAINED THE ACCIDENT DATE WAS OF NO CONCERN TO THE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AS THERE ARE STILL THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. THEY FAILED TO REPORT TO YOU ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE BIGGER ISSUE IS GM'S POLICY OF REPORTING AND INVESTIGATING SAFETY ISSUES. IF MINE IS AN EXAMPLE, HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN IGNORED OR DISCARDED BECAUSE OF THE BANKRUPTCY FILING? IN OTHER WORDS, IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BEFORE THEN WE CAN ASSUME IT MAY BE AN ISSUE OF RECALL NOW REGARDLESS OF "NEW" OR "OLD" GM STATUES. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THIS BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. WE STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE SITTING IN OUR BACK YARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE. AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO DISPOSE OF IT AND MOVE ON. I JUST FEEL A MORAL OBLIGATION - WHERE OBVIOUSLY GM DOES NOT. I AM HAPPY TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. PLEASE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY - I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO EXPERIENCE THE INJURIES WE HAVE - ESPECIALLY IF IT IS PREVENTABLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE CONSUMERS HUSBAND CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO HIS HEAD, NECK AND SHOULDERS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000. UPDATED 02/1710 *BF THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. UPDATED 02/19/10.*JB
WHILE I WAS DRIVING OVER A HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH UNDER HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS, I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE (CHEVY CAVALIER 2004) AND HAD A FRONTAL CRASH AGAINST THE CONCRETE MEDIAN. DURING THE IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY PROVOKING MINOR INJURIES IN THE FACE TO THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE. TWO DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT I FILLED OUT A REPORT WITH GMC AND THEY SENT AN INSPECTOR TO TAKE THE INFORMATION FROM THE "BLACK BOX" AND SOME PICTURES OF THE FINAL CONDITION OF THE CAR. I TRIED TO CONTACT THE REPRESENTATIVE IN CHARGE (TRACY SAVERINO) FOR WEEKS, I LEFT SEVERAL VOICE MESSAGES TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE DAMAGED VEHICLE, ALREADY BEING REPAIRED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN FOR KEEPING THIS VEHICLE IN OPERATION AFTER THE SAFETY SYSTEM'S TEST IN REAL CONDITIONS. RECENTLY I WAS NOTIFIED BY A LETTER THROUGH THE GMC CLAIMS DEPARTMENT THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEM AND THEY DID NOT GIVE ANY RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION OR EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSES THAT ORIGINATED THE MALFUNCTION. THEY ENCOURAGE ME TO PRESERVE IN THE IMMEDIATE POST-ACCIDENT CONDITION THE VEHICLE IF I WISHED TO SUPPORT WITH EVIDENCES MY CLAIM WHEN THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS IN THE POST-ACCIDENT CONDITION BY THE DAY OF THE INSPECTION. THIS BEHAVIOR CONSTITUTES A DISRESPECT AND IS A FORM OF ABUSIVE TREATMENT CONSIDERING THAT THE COMPANY WAS RELUCTANT TO ANSWER MY PHONE CALLS AND INTENTIONALLY PROTRACTED THE PROCEDURE TO ALLOW THE CUSTOMER TO START WITH THE REPAIRS AND DODGE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND CONCEAL A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE AND PROBABLY MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME COMPONENT SERIAL NUMBER. *JB
I'M FILING THIS FOR MY DAD. HE WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO USE A COMPUTER. A MAN STOLE A VEHICLE AND WAS BEING CHASED BY POLICE IN KANSAS CITY WHEN MY DAD WAS IN THE INTERSECTION AT THE WRONG TIME AND WAS HIT SQUARE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF HIS CHEVY CAVALIER. I'M NOT SURE OF THE YEAR, BUT IT'S LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. HE HAD HIS SEAT BELT ON, BUT THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. THE CRASH WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT HE HAS 7 FRACTURED RIBS, LEFT PELVIC FRACTURE, LEFT ACETABULAR FRACTURE, LEFT TIBIA/FIBULAR FRACTURES AND 2 FRACTURES IN THE ANKLE OF HIS LEFT FOOT. HE'S STILL IN REHAB. I'M NOT SURE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS NOT A CONSISTENT PROBLEM. I JUST CLICKED NO ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE ABOUT RELEASE OF MY DAD'S INFORMATION SINCE YOU'D HAVE TO ASK HIM THAT QUESTION. THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO THIS. MY NUMBER IN SAN ANTONIO IS 210-492-7653 (BARBARA ROACH). *NM
THE AIR BAG DEACTIVATION DEVICE EXPLODED AND/ BLEW OUT THE WINDSHIELD/CRACKED THE DASHBOARD, AND SENT METAL THROUGH THE GLASS DOOR. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT SINCE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
VEHICLE T-BONED AT 45 MPH AND FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT AIR BAG SENSOR WAS LOCATED INSIDE THE FRONT SEAT BELTS.*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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