We just received another recall notice on our 2003 Pontiac Vibe…As you recall, we had one not long ago that involved a shorting out of a circuit that could cause the airbags to deploy without notice.  Luckily for us it did not happen before we could get our friend Crock to fix it at Axtell Chevrolet in Logan.  Life has been good up until todays mail was opened.

Sherry read the recall notice and said “It’s the same old one”…and tossed the paper to me.

I read it and it’s different.  Still involving the air bags, but only on the passenger side and only if we get into a crash powerful enough to cause the airbag to deploy.

This recall says that my “vehicle is equipped with a front passenger airbag inflator which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers.  Improperly manufactured propellant wafers could cause the inflator to rupture and the front passenger airbag to deploy abnormally in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant”.

So, if I get into a crash the airbag could be deployed with such a violent explosion (the one that fills it with air) to actually cause the airbag to blow up…like a balloon when it pops…which then would cause my passenger to essentially not have an airbag in their face, or worse yet, to get the full blast right in their face.

What are my alternatives?  Not drive.  Be dang careful when I do drive.  And always be on constant alert for “the other guy”.  At least this recall give me a chance at driving without a sudden and violent burst of an airbag in my face without warning.  If I do get into a crash at least I can reasonably hope my car had a “properly manufactured propellant wafer installed”.

Oh, and it says they don’t have the parts available to fix the problem.

Bears Butt

June 20, 2013