GMCforum: GMCnet » Air Bag Woes

Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Air Bag Woes

Show: Today's Messages :: Polls :: Message Navigator

Air Bag Woes [message #134287]

Tue, 12 July 2011 08:53

stick miller

Messages: 1036
Registered: March 2010
Location: Americus, Georgia

Karma: 0

Senior Member

OK- I may the only person in the world to destroy 2 airbags in one year, but here goes:

The first was entirely my fault. As a newby I knew nothing about ride height or “airing up” and I allowed the tire to rub a hole in the bag. It happened in my first week of ownership.

Then last month I bought 2 new tires and put them in the center position. I left specific written instructions for the tire company to follow that would have discarded an out of date and cracked tire. They did not follow those instructions and instead they moved that tire from the center passenger side to the rear passenger side. Even though I checked tire pressure prior to my departure and prior to my return trip home, I did not bother to scrutinize their work and look closely for dates. Somewhat less my fault, but I should have looked.

The result is that on July 4, at expressway speed, I lost about 18” of tread from the rotten tire. I put the spare on myself and we proceeded home – about 200 miles. The next morning I noticed the coach was leaning to the right and learned that the passenger side bag was deflated. Further examination showed that the bag had been “slapped” by the steel cord of the missing piece of the tire and the result is a series of small pin prick leaks.

My wheel well cover – more than a “t” skirt, it is a full, one piece cover – has been ripped from its bottom connection and the back storage compartment door has damage along the bottom edge. Both are repairable.

I guess the point of this post is 3 fold:

1. Never trust repairs without verifying or observing the results. I’m not much of a mechanic, but I knew that tire was bad. That tire is the prime reason I bought the 2 new ones.

2. I’m frustrated with the options available to me for bag replacement. I’m borrowing a bag from a loyal GMCer and have a possibility of getting a used bag in a month or so. The fact remains that if I stay with the OEM system my options are limited to buying used bags. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m open to suggestion but am leaning toward replacing the system with a more current and available system.

3. I’m not going to gamble on tires anymore. I have 4 tires that are in the 4 year old range, but that just might not be good enough to make me comfortable.

I hope the result of this exercise is that the dealer will make me “whole” which would be a good used bag, 2 in-date tires and a bit of fiberglass repair. I’d probably settle for 2 new tires and I’ll probably buy 2 more so I’ll have 6 new.

Film at 11.

Stick Miller
'78 Royale - "White Trash" - she left me for another man
'76 Eleganza - "Cousin Eddie" Sold
'84 Bluebird Wanderlodge - "Past Tents"
Americus, GA