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Air Bags Exploding In Some Flood-Damaged Vehicles

Airbags Deploy In 1996, 1997 GM Models

Updated: 9:07 am CDT July 21, 2008

Wisconsin drivers are facing a dangerous problem with some cars.

The trouble is with cars that were flooded by last month's rain. In many cases after the cars dried out and drivers began driving again, the cars' air bags deployed at random.

"I got home, pulled into my driveway, put it in park and the air bag deployed in my face," said Lynda Schultz, who owns a 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier. "I had just gotten off the freeway. About five minutes after I got off the freeway, the air bag just blew up right in my face. It was probably the most terrifying experience I've ever had."

"It just blew up, because I didn't actually hit anything," said Tom Kleist, who owns a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am. "It didn't hit me in the face -- I was leaning back. But it just hit my arms off the steering wheel and left some big welts on there. It exploded. I didn't know what had happened at first, and it felt as if I had been shot. It was so loud, and my ears were ringing, and there was all of this white in my face."

General Motors issued a letter stating that if certain cars ever got wet and the floorboards were soaked that drivers should stop driving the car and disconnect the battery.

According to GM, the air bag module is located under the passenger seat in some models made in 1996 and 1997. If the module gets wet, it makes the air bag a ticking time bomb.

Drivers who own 1996 and 1997 models of these cars should have their electrical systems checked if the car was flood-damaged:

  • Chevrolet Cavalier
  • Pontiac Grand Am
  • Pontiac Sunfire
  • Buick Skylark
  • Oldsmobile Achieva
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