12 of the
337 complaints about the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada are about the
airbag system — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
70,000 miles.
F
12
Complaints
9
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Injuries
Exactly what failed
AIR Bags
866.7%
Frontal
216.7%
Side/Window
216.7%
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
Maplewood, MNCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
I was merging onto the interstate going approximately 35 mph, I spun out on black ice across three lanes of traffic and smashed into the guard rail. The airbags DID NOT deploy during this accident, even when the car rolled back and hit the wall again. Since the airbags did not deploy, I suffered trauma to my chin and inside my mouth. I have facial cellulitis, and I needed to receive 3 stitches inside my mouth to stop the bleeding. This happened because my face hit the steering wheel, rather than being protected by the airbag. There were no warning lights on the vehicle prior to failure. The airbags not deploying could have potentially injured me greatly if I had been going any faster.
NHTSA complaint #11449295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 108,500 milesPomfret, MD
AIR BAGS
WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I NOTICED THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. I HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE WHILE I WAS DRIVING BUT IT WAS ONLY A FLICKERING LIGHT AND NOT A STEADY LIGHT. AFTER DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THE LIGHT WAS AGAIN OFF. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER, AND THE LIGHT CONTINUED TO BE ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK (WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING) AND THEN IT WENT OFF AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS OFF FOR ONLY ONE DAY. NOW THE LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME WHEN THE SUV IS RUNNING. I TOOK THE SUV INTO OUR MECHANIC AND HE TRIED TO PULL UP AN ERROR CODE. HE SAID THAT IT COULD BE A CORRODED WIRE OR IT COULD BE THE ENTIRE AIR BAG(S) NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO STATED THAT IF ONE AIR BAG IS NOT WORKING THAT NONE OF THE OTHERS WILL EITHER. THE PRICE QUOTED TO FIX THIS IS FROM $150 JUST TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG, AND UP TO $1200 TO REPLACE AIRBAG.
NHTSA complaint #10745635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesHodges, SCCrash
AIR BAGS
VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND RAN OFF THE ROAD. IT THEN CAME BACK ON THE ROAD AND ENDED UP T-BONING THE TRAILER OF AN 18-WHEELER BEFORE SKIDDING BACK AROUND AND COMING TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BUT THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE SPEED AT IMPACT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 35-50 MPH SO IT DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10725435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 198,000 milesGibsonville, NCCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
ON JAN.8,2013 MY VEHICLE WAS WRECKED. LOCAL POLICE AND THE STATE TROOPER INFORMED ME THE BRAVADA HAD FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOTALED. WHEN I WENT TO THE TOW COMPANY TO CLAIM MY BELONGS FROM THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. MY HUSBAND HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. HE WASN'T HURT BAD BUT HE COULD HAVE DIED.THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. I HAD THIS VEHICLE SERVICED FOR SEVERAL PROBLEMS,BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T WORK.
NHTSA complaint #10573087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 123,000 milesPalm Coast, FL
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG SUSPENSION RELEASES AIR UNEVENLY AS YOU ARE DRIVING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE BACK AND FORTH, FEELING LIKE IT IS GOING TO FLIP. THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT RELEASE AIR AT ALL WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE OVER 30 MPH. AND SOMETIMES UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THEY WON'T AIR UP AT ALL, SOMETIMES FOR DAYS AT A TIME, OR ONE SIDE AIRS UP AND THE OTHER DOESN'T.
NHTSA complaint #10303857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,000 milesLakeland, TNCrash2 injured
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN HIT HEAD ON!
NHTSA complaint #10243050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blair, NECrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
THE OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS AIRBORNE AND THEN WAS WHEN IT LANDED IT WAS FLIPPED END OVER END FOUR TO FIVE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL DURING OR AFTER THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10155496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesSilver City, NMCrash2 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING,THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED ROCKING BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES,THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SKIDDED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD ON. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB VEHICLE DID NOT SKID BUT WAS TAKEN QUICKLY AND SHARPLY TO THE LEFT INTO THE MEDIAN AND IMPACTED A CURB LIKE BARRIER DAMAGING VEHICLE. HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED. THOUGHT TO HAVE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT BUT NOT CONFIRMED. PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WAS ALSO EVIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10097198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10 milesWashington, DC
AIR BAGS
CONSUMER HAS HAD MULTIPLE, REOCCURING PROBLEMS WITH NEW VEHICLE SINCE FIRST PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2001. CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER MORE THAN 12 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS AND HAS PLACED SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON THE OWNER. VEHICLE NOW HAS NEW MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE LARGE NUMBER OF PERSISTENT PROBLEMS CLASSIFIES THIS VEHICLE AS UNRELIABLE AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, UNSAFE. OWNER HAS CONTACTED DEALER REGARDING A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE (LEMON LAW), HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP HAS DIRECTED THE OWNER TO THE MAKER COMPANY (GM/OLDSMOBILE). THE MAKER HAS RESPONDED BY INSISTING THAT THE WARRANTY WAS DESIGNED FOR SUCH PROBLEMS AND THEY HAVE REFERRED THE OWNER BACK TO THE DEALER FOR CONTINUAL REPAIRS. IN OTHER WORDS, NEITHER THE MAKER NOR THEIR REPRESENTATIVE DEALER IS WILLING TO ASSIST THE OWNER IN RESOLVING THE SITUATION. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SINCE CLOSED DUE TO OWNER RETIREMENT, AS WELL. MORE THAN FIVE COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO THE MAKER FROM THE OWNER BY EITHER PHONE, ELECTRONICALLY OR MAIL WITHOUT ANY POSITIVE FEEBACK FROM THE MAKER OR ANY ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. NOTE: THE INCIDENT DATE LISTED HERE IS SIMPLY THE PURCHASE DATE - ALL INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CONTINOUS AND ON GOING SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE.*AK 2 WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY 1ST AT 3,973 MILES 2ND AT 11,660 MILES. *KMB
NHTSA complaint #10030696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brookfiled, WICrash2 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING HAD TO SWIRL TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND IT WENT INTO A DITCH. AT SUCH TIME NEITHER PASSENGER'S OR DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. BACK REST FLEW FORWARD. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #8016920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anderson, INCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
SIDE AIR BAG TO DRIVER'S DOOR DIDN'T DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. DEALER STATED IF THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO B-PILLAR IT WOULD NOT DEPLOY UNLESS VEHICLE HAD A DIRECT HIT FROM ENDING OF DRIVERS DOOR TO THE BEGINNING OF PASSENGERS DOOR. *AK
NHTSA complaint #8006048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miamisburg, OHCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
SUV T-BONED IN DRIVER DOOR AT ESTIMATED 40MPH. SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH SEAT WAS RIPPED FROM ITS MOORING. ON STAR SYSTEM DID NOT ACTIVATE TO SIGNAL 911. IN ADDITION THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OPPOSITE THE ACCIDENT ROLLED OFF OF THE RIM. IS THIS NORMAL? ON AT LEAST FOUR OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING THE SUV THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKS WHILE STOPPING AND WILL NOT RELEASE. MUST UNBUCKLE AND RETRACT BEFORE IT CAN BE EXTENDED.
NHTSA complaint #752342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.