2008 Chevrolet Equinox

I TOOK MY 2008 CHEVY EQUINOX TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ROOF RAIL MODULE NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $1,475. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR $175 AND LEAVE EQUINOX FOR REPAIR WHEN THE GM TECH TOLD ME THE EQUINOX WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON COMPLETION, THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS OFF AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT DISPLAYED ON AS MY 115LB DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HALF WAY HOME, PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT SWITCHED TO OFF. WOULD THE AIRBAG HAVE DEPLOYED IN AN ACCIDENT NOW THAT THE SENSOR WASN'T DETECTING ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT? MOST LIKELY NOT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER LIGHT IS ON AND THEN IT GOES OFF. SOMETIMES IT NEVER SENSES A PASSENGER AT ALL. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY WILL NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. THEY WANT TO GIVE A $2,000 LOYALTY CERTIFICATE TO PURCHASE A NEW GM VEHICLE WITHIN A YEAR. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE. PER GM CORPORATE, THIS $1,475 REPAIR IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THIS CONTRADICTS THE CERTIFIED GM TECH WHO TOLD ME THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. HE SAID IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILEAGE OR MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE. A QUALITY VEHICLE & THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS IS OF NO CONCERN TO GM. I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR A YEAR NOW SINCE THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2011 AT A COST OF $545. BOB BELL CHEVY BEL AIR CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEREFORE DEEMED THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I CAN'T HAVE ANYONE SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EQUINOX ON THIS SAME ISSUE. IN FACT, 2007 EQUINOX WAS RECALLED FOR SIMILAR AIRBAG ISSUES. I HAVE REQUESTED A FULL REFUND FROM GM BUT THEY REFUSE. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND MY CHILDREN'S SAFETY. REPLACING AIR BAG MODULES & SENSORS IS NOT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT I SHOULD BE FORCED TO BEAR. *TR

DOES NOT RECOGNIZE PASSENGER, AND AIRBAG IS "OFF". THIS HAS HAPPENED BEGINNING FIRST DAY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, AND INTERMITTENTLY SINCE. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE, AS IT USUALLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ADULT PASSENGER OF LESS THAN ABOUT 150 LBS. MOST RECENT TRIP A FEW DAYS AGO WITH THREE ADULTS OF MEDIUM SIZE HAD PROBLEMS WITH NONE OF OCCUPANTS BEING RECOGNIZED BY SENSOR, EVEN WHEN PROPERLY SEATED AND BUCKLED. LITERATURE STATES PASSENGERS OF OVER ABOUT 100 LBS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED. WE HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT IT SOMETIMES SPONTANEOUSLY SHUTS AIRBAG "OFF" WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD, LEADING TO CONCERN THAT THIS ESSENTIAL SAFETY FEATURE MAY NOT WORK WHEN NEEDED IN A CRASH. WE HAVE FOUND IT NECESSARY TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF ENGINE AND WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING ENGINE TO ACTIVATE PASSENGER AIRBAG. SOMETIMES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS ARE NEEDED, AND PASSENGER HAS HAD TO MOVE TO REAR SEAT WHEN ACTIVATION FAILED. IT ALWAYS RECOGNIZES A LARGER ADULT PASSENGER, BUT TYPICAL PASSENGER IS OF MEDIUM SIZE. THIS IS A COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. GM POSITION IS THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER STANDARD WARRANTY, AND OUR RESEARCH SHOWS REPAIR COST TO BE SUBSTANTIAL. RESEARCH HAS TURNED UP OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING SAME ISSUE WITH SAME VEHICLE. IF A RECALL WERE TO BE CALLED FOR, CUSTOMERS WOULD NOT HAVE TO BEAR THIS HIGH COST. *TR

RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE I NOTICED AFTER RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONER THAT A MOLDY MUSTY SMELL CAME FROM THE CAR. MY HUSBAND CHANGED THE CABIN AIR FILTER, THAT ONLY HELPED FOR JUST A FEW WEEKS. I HAD MY SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECK IT OUT. THEY TOLD ME THE CONDENSER NEED A FOAM SPRAY TO KILL THE BACTERIA AT MY COST. I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE BUT THAT WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE FIX. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS VEHICLE. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT WE ARE BREATHING ALL THIS CONTAMINATED AIR. *TR

MY WIFE SMELLED GAS ON MY 2008 EQUINOX WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. VEHICLE WAS PULLED OUT AND I NOTICED THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE PASSENGER REAR. I GOT UNDER THE CAR TO SEE IF I COULD SEE A VISIBLE LEAK AND NOTICED GAS AROUND THE GAS TANK. MONDAY JULY 30 2012 I WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I SEARCHED ON LINE AND NOTICED THIS IS A ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH THE EQUINOX, I'M ALARMED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE/ FATALITIES WITH THE VEHICLE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR PASSENGER DOORS FAILED TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DOOR ACTUATORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN TURNING OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY TURNING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ON AND OFF WHILE DISPLAYING A SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER A FEW MONTHS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG JUST REMAINS OFF AT ALL TIMES STILL DISPLAYING THE SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE. THIS IS WITH A 120 POUND WOMAN OR A 170 POUND MAN SITTING IN THE SEAT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE 2007 EQUINOX WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME REASON WHY IS THIS ONE NOT BEING RECALLED? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE, AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT HAD BEEN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN REMAINED ILLUMINATED PERMANENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A CONTINUOUS BELL SOUND WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DID NOT IDENTIFY THAT A PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WOULD NOT TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.