1996 Chevrolet Suburban Airbags Problems

FROM: DAVID B PARKER COMMENTS: IN A CRASH ON 5/27/06 WHERE ANOTHER DRIVER PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HIT HIM AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH OR SLIGHTLY BELOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG IN MY 1996 CHEVY. SUBURBAN 1500 LT. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, PLEASE ADD THIS TO YOUR DATABASE; IF NOT YOU MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE OTHER SUCH MODELS. I DO HAVE PHOTOS OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE CRASH BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTACH THEM HERE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10160219

Incident

May 27, 2006

DRIVING FROM WORK-SNOWY/ICY CONDITIONS. SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR IN VEHICLE GOING FROM I-270S TO I-370W ~ 1/4 MILE FROM RAMP. TRAFFIC MODERATE. TRAVELING 45 MPH I TAPPED BRAKES, THEY WENT ALL WAY TO FLOOR. TURNED OFF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. USED ENGINE BRAKING SELECTING 3-2-1 TO SLOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE SLOWED, APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE - DROVE TO BRAKE DOWN LANE. VEHICLE STOPPED-WHITE SMOKE COMING AROUND EDGES OF HOOD. LOWER PORTION OF WINDSHIELD HAD COUPLE OF HEAT DISCOLORATION MARKS ABOUT 1/4 SIZE OF A PENNY IN THE MIDDLE LOWER PORTION. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. DASH DID NOT FEEL HOT, NOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL - NO SMOKE INSIDE VEHICLE. HOOD WOULD NOT OPEN BY HOOD RELEASE. POWER WINDOWS WORKED. EGRESSED VEHICLE AND DRIVER SDIE AIR BAG INFLATED. CALLED 911 AWAITED FIRE/POLCIE DEPT. OPENED DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER DOORS. FLAMES COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHERE IT ENTERS FIRE WALL. FLAMES UNDERNEATH VEHICLE FROM ENGINE NEAR SKID PLATE/TRANSFER CASE. USED SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON FLAMES IN CABIN AND UNDER VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FROM CENTER CONSOLE TO DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR MELTED AWAY AT ABOUT 45 DEG ANGLE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF CONSOLE. INSIDE ENGINE THE THYDRAULIC DRIVE UNIT AND BARKE MASTER CYCLINDER HAD MELTED. SIGNIFICANT BURN DAMAGE FROM FIRE IN ENGINE. VEHICLE-TOTAL LOSS. VERY FORTUNATE TO RECOGNIZE BAD SMELL, ID BRAKE MALFUNCTION, USE ENGINE BRAKING TO CONTROL VEHICLE; USE EMERGENCY BRAKING TO STOP - MODERATE TRAFFIC. MINIMIZED POTENTIAL HAZARD TO SINGLE VEHICLE-NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10107606

Incident

Jan 13, 2005

Mileage

174,000 mi

ORIGINAL BATTERY LEAKED ACID, REPLACEMENT BATTERY LEAKED AS WELL. ACID CORRODED AIRBAG SENSOR AND WIRING, CAUSING AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

740375

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A SMALLER VEHICLE ON WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DID NOT PROTECT OCCUPANTS IN THIS CRASH. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM. DEALER CLAIMED THAT BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS LARGE IMPACT DID NOT TRIGGER AIRBAG SENSOR, AND DID NOT DEPLOY AIRBAGS UNPON IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

877129

Incident

Nov 30, 2000

THE BATTERY LEAKED/SPRAYED ACID ONTO THE ENGINE AND RIGHT FRONT SIDE COMPONENTS OF THE SUBURBAN. THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS WERE JUST CLEANED OFF (THIS INCLUDED BRAKE HYDRAULIC CABLES AND LINES, BRAKES, AIR CONDITIONING HOSES, RADIATOR, ETC.). THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER SAID THEY DON'T COVER THE BATTERY BECAUSE IT IS NOT MADE BY THEM ALTHOUGHT I THINK THE COMPANY IS OWNED BY THEM. WE HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY AND PAY FOR ALL THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LONG TERM AFFECTS OF THIS CORROSIVE ACID WILL BE. IT LEFT A HUGE ORANGE PUDDLE IN OUR GARAGE FLOOR WHICH WE CAN'T GET RID OF. WE TOOK VIDEO AND PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR, BATTERY AND GARAGE. THE CRACKED FRONT TRANSAXLE CASING WAS ONLY DIAGNOSED AFTER THEY HAD REPLACED THE SEAL ON THE FRONT AXLE TWICE SINCE IT WAS ALWAYS LEAKING FLUID. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD THE SEAL REPLACED 2 OR 3 TIMES BUT IT STILL LEAKS. THE FUEL PUMPED FAILED ON OUR CAR LEAVING US STRANDED. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRUCK NEEDS TO KEEP A 1/4 TANK OF GAS AT ALL TIMES IN THE TANK SO THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS NEVER REALLY WORKED WELL ON THIS MODEL, IT APPEARS THAT IT IS UNDERSIZED TO HANDLE THE THERMAL LOAD. WE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE SPOT WELDS ON THE DOOR JAMS FILED BECAUSE MANY SHARP BURRS EXISTED WHICH WERE A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ID

723203

Incident

Jan 3, 1999

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH DRIVER'S AIRBAG SYSTEM. DEALER SAYS IT'S DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

853597

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH DRIVER HIT A DEER, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. VEHICLE IS BEING HELD AT THE BODY SHOP. OWNER NOT SURE IF THE TRUCK WOULD BE TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

847642

Incident

Sep 12, 1999

ABS BRAKES FAILED, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG UPON IMPACT. *AK

NHTSA ID

781197

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

DRIVING AT 20 -25 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION AT A REAR END OF OTHER VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDNOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT. *AK

NHTSA ID

812567

Incident

May 8, 1997

OTHER: AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA ID

602825

Incident

Dec 24, 1996

THE ENGINE IS NOISY AND VIBRATES, BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, BRAKE LINES AND PUMP HAVE BEEN REPLACED, EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE CORRODED, AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON.

NHTSA ID

528447

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG, RESULTING IN INJURIES TO CHEST,FROM HITTING STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

511639

SEAT BELT FAILED/NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING COLLISION, RESULTING IN INJURIES

NHTSA ID

511129

Incident

Oct 6, 1996

DURING FRONTAL IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

803101

Incident

Sep 23, 1996

DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT ACCIDENT AT 40 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DUP 511639, POSTED ON 03-NOV-98. *AK

NHTSA ID

803376

Incident

Oct 6, 1996

LEFT FRONT PARKING LIGHT NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY, UPPER SCREW NOT IN PROPER HOLE/LOWER SCREW MISSING.

NHTSA ID

500926

Incident

Jan 10, 1996