2005 Isuzu Ascender

LETTER FROM CONSTITUENT REGARDING AIRBAG IN HIS 2005 ISUZU ASCENDER WENT OFF FOR NO REASON CAUSING PERSONAL INJURIES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, BUT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED DUE TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM REPORTING A CRASH. *JS *BF

I WAS DRIVING OUR CAR ( 2005 ISUZU ASCENDER), HAVING JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY I WAS ONLY GOING AROUND 5- 8 MPH WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE AND WITH NO REASON THE SIDE, AND REAR AIRBAGS UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYOED. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THEM TO HAVE DEPLOYED, NO ACCIDENT, IMPACT, BUMPS OR ANYTHING. ONE MINUTE EVERYTHING WAS FINE THE NEXT THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND AND THE CABIN FILLED WITH AIRBAGS AND A HORRIBLE SMELL THANKFULLY MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR BECAUSE THE WAY THEY EXPLODED IT WOULD HAVE SURELY CAUSED THEM PHYSICAL HARM. UPON THE AIRBAGS UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYING THE SEATBELTS LOCKED UP COMPLETELY.

MY DAUGHTER WAS PULLING OUT TO TURN LEFT ONTO A 4 LANE ROAD. AS SHE CROSSED THE MEDIAN SHE HIT A LARGE PUDDLE AND HYDROPLANED. WHEN THE CAR HIT A DRY PATCH ON THE ROAD, BOTH SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. SHE WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE IT 1-MILE HOME. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE CAR AND CLAIMS IT IS A MECHANICAL ERROR. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER AND WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM ISUZU. *JB

I WAS DRIVING EAST ON INTERSTATE 10 IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. A VEHICLE TRAVELING WEST LOST CONTROL AND CAME ACROSS THE SLOPED GRASSY MEDIAN, OVERTURNED AN SLID ACROSS MY TRAFFIC LANE, CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO THEIR ROOF. MY ODOMETER SAYS AT THE POINT OF IMPACT I WAS ONLY TRAVELING 48 MPH. ONCE I REALIZED I WAS ALIVE, I WAS IN AWE THAT THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I SPOKE TO A MANAGER AT ISUZU IN CALIFORNIA. HE REQUESTED THE VIN NUMBER AND SOME OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION AND SAID IF THE INSURANCE COMPANY ADJUSTER SAW ANY MANUFACTURER DEFECTS, THEN THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD CONTACT ISUZU. I ALSO CONTACTED MY INSURANCE PROVIDER, THEY SAID SINCE I WAS NOT KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT, THEY WOULD NOT PURSUE ANYTHING WITH ISUZU. I THOUGHT SOMEONE SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE I WAS PINNED IN THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO BE CUT OUT. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ALSO MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE STEERING COLUMN HAD MALFUNCTIONED, NOT SURE WHAT THE MALFUNCTION WAS, BUT IT DID NOT DO WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. I SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIGHT FOOT, BRUISED LUNGS/RIBS, NUMEROUS LACERATIONS, BRUISED LEFT KNEE AND LEFT ELBOW. *TR

DECEMBER 22ND MY SON WAS DRIVING THE FAMILY ISUZU ASCENDER, (BASICALLY AN UPSCALE RE-BADGED CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER) WHEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING ALL THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. FORTUNATELY HE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE, ALBEIT HE WAS SEVERELY STUNNED, DAZED, AND HIGHLY CONFUSED FROM THE ABRUPT EXPLOSION, AND VIOLENT FORCEFUL PROJECTION OF THE BAGS. WE CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE CARRIER AMERIPRISE, AND FILED A DAMAGE CLAIM (REP 888-404-5365 EXT. 6555 ). A FIELD ADJUSTER CAME TO OUR HOME WHERE WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED, AND EXAMINED THE CAR FOR POSSIBLE IMPACT OR AN UNKNOWN COLLISION. CONSEQUENTLY SINCE THE AIRBAG DAMAGE WAS APPARENTLY NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT; THE INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED OUR CLAIM AND REFERRED US TO ISUZU FOR SATISFACTION. WE CALLED ISUZU AMERICA OWNER RELATIONS SEEKING SOME ASSISTANCE (REP 800-255-6727 EXT 272) HOWEVER WE WERE TOLD WE NEEDED TO TOW THE VEHICLE 54 MILES TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. ONCE IT ARRIVED AT THE REPAIR FACILITY, WE COULD HAVE THE SUV AIRBAG DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM COMPLETELY CHECKED FOR CAUSE. OF COURSE EVEN THOUGH WE HAD BEEN TOLD DIFFERENTLY BY ISUZU AMERICA, THE COST BURDEN WAS COMPLETELY AT OUR EXPENSE. ELK GROVE VW (916-405-2643 REP) RAN A DIAGNOSTIC OF THE SYSTEM, AND CONCLUDED THERE WAS A 'GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM'; AND THIS MALFUNCTION RESULTED IN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, AND THE SEATBELT MECHANISM TO LOCK. THE REPAIR COST OF THE GLITCH ALONE, WILL COST US IN EXCESS OF $5600. IN ADDITION TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND TOW. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOT A FURTHER RESOURCE FOR ASSISTANCE, AND ISUZU IS ASSUMING NO RESPONSIBILITY, BASED SOLELY ON THE VEHICLE BEING BEYOND THE ELECTRICAL WARRANTY PERIOD. WHEN WE PURCHASE THIS ISUZU NEW, WE PAID A MAJOR PREMIUM TO HAVE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS. THIS COSTLY OPTION WE FELT WAS WARRANTED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SAFETY TO OUR FAMILY. INSTEAD THEIR PROTECTION HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZED, AND UNFORTUNATELY IS NOW A MAJOR SAFETY LIABILITY AND EXPENSE. *TR