What 921 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

GM REPLACED MY GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE ON JUNE 13 BECAUSE OF A RECALL. THE PROPER TESTS WERE NOT PERFORMED DUE TO THEM HAVING IT IN SHOP FOR 45 MINUTES (SEE RECALL DOCUMENTS). GCM WAS REPLACED AND I WAS SENT HOME WITH IT ON JUNE 13. ON JUNE 14, I STARTED THE CAR AND AN ERROR CODE APPEARED ON DIC FOR BATTERY. CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP (OVER 1 HOURS AWAY FROM MY HOUSE). EVERY SO OFTEN MY DIC WOULD SHOW A NEW ERROR CODE, I CONTACTED DEALERSHIP EACH TIME, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL. I MADE IT 40 MINUTES INTO MY TRAVEL AND I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK. A FEW SECONDS LATER ALL THE ERROR CODES STARTED APPEARING ON DIC. THE POWER STEERING SHUT OFF ALL WHILE I WAS GOING 75 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY CAR STARTED GOING CRAZY (WINDOWS ROLLED UP AND DOWN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED WORKING, AND RADIO SHUT ON AND OFF) ALL ON ITS OWN. MY ENTIRE CABIN FILLED UP WITH BLACK SMOKE AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC. THE CAR DIED WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF GETTING THE CAR TO SHOULDER. I CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND ADVISED THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THEY STATED THEY WERE CALLING A TOW TRUNK AND HUNG UP ON ME. TOW TRUCK COMPANY CONTACTED ME TO INQUIRE LOCATION THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE CAR ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. MY CAR WOULD NOT BUDGE AND HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE STRONG ODOR/SMOKE. HE LITERALLY HAD TO DRAG MY CAR ONTO THE TRUCK. I WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR. I PICKED MY CAR UP ON JUNE 17, ALL THAT WAS REPLACED WAS GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE AGAIN. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL WORK AT LEAST 9 MORE TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. DEALERSHIP KEEPS CARS FOR DAYS - RETURNS TO ME AND SAYS "NO CODES ARE BEING THROWN ON MACHINE. CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY". *TR

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I WAS DRIVING MY SON TO WORK AND I LOST ALL POWER TO MY VEHICLE. I HAD NO BRAKES, POWER STEERING AND MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. I MANAGED NOT GET IN A ACCIDENT AND GET INTO A PARKING LOT. THANK GOD. MY BACKLIGHTS HAVE HAD ISSUES AS WELL THEY HAVE STAYED ON AND HAVE CUASED ME TO GET PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ON ANOTHER OCASSION, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE OUT PARK AND THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS FOR THE FAILURE WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,692 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 11,246. DR..UPDATED 08/11/14 *BF UPDATED 08/19/2014 *JS

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WHILE DRIVING WHEN I TURNED ON AC IT WENT FULL BLAST TO HEAT EVEN THOUGH SETTING WAS SET LOW. WENT TO DEALER SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED CHANGED OUT SOMETHING HOWEVER IT DID IT AGAIN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. HAVE TO TURN OFF FAN LET IT REST THEN TURN IT BACK ON AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES. WORKED GREAT THEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 4 TIMES NOW AND DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. IT'S CALLED A DEFECT! GM NEEDS TO FIX THIS. *TR

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WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE FAN AND THE HEATER CAME ON FULL BLAST. WITHIN SECONDS IT WAS VERY HOT IN THE CAR. THE FAN AND THE HEATER WERE TURNED OFF AT THE TIME BUT WERE LIT LIKE THEY WERE ON. IT SCARED ME. I TURNED THE FAN ON ALL THE WAY THEN TURN IT BACK,BUT THAT DID NOTHING AS WITH THE HEATER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED A MINUTE AND RESTARTED AND IT WAS OKAY. I TOOK TALKED WITH MY GARAGE REPAIR (MAY 9 2014) AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T CHECK THE PROBLEM ON THE COMPUTER UNLESS THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURING AT THAT TIME. I DID NOT INFORM DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR AS I DO NOT USE THEM FOR REPAIR OR MAINTENANCE. *TR

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SINCE APRIL THIS HAS HAPPEN 3 TIMES. I WOULD START THE CAR AND WITH EVERYTHING TURNED OUT, THE HEATER COMES ON FULL BLAST. THE FIRST TIME, IT SCARED ME. I HAVE TO TURN THE FAN ON ALL THE WAY THEN TURN IT BACK AND TURN THE HEATER ON FULL BLAST AND BACK OFF TO GET IT TO STOP. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY.MAY 6 2014 THEY PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. FOR BEING A NEW VEHICLE, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? *TR

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ON THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. IT HAD BEEN RAINING EARLIER SO I WAS GOING SLOWER THAN USUAL. WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WOULD VEER TO L OR R AND ACT AS IF IT WERE STIFFENING. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG THAT IT WAS PROBABLY "JUST THE RAIN". THE FOLLOWING WEEK IT DID THE SAME THING, NO RAIN! THIS HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE AND I HAVE TAKEN IN FOR A REPEAT TRIP TO BE TOLD THE SAME THING, TIRES ARE FINE, ETC.......YET WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY/INTERSTATE THE STEERING TENDS TO LOCK/STICK AND REQUIRE FORCE WHICH IS DANGEROUS! *TR

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WAS ENTERING PARKWAY AND CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING .CAR STOOD STILL AS IF IN NEUTRAL

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I RECENTLY JUST BOUGHT A 2013 CHEVY MALIBU AND I WAS EXCITED, NOW I AM JUST HAVING REGRETS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AT OR AROUND 45 MPH AND OVER. MY CAR STARTS TO DRIFT TOWARDS THE YELLOW OR WHITE LINE, AND I WILL TRY TO MAKE THE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS (JUST LIKE I WOULD IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE) AND I FIND MYSELF TUGGING PRETTY FORCEFULLY TO BREAK IT FREE, WHICH THEN RESULTS IN MY CAR JERKING OVER QUICKLY IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND THEN I HAVE TO TRY TO CORRECT MY DIRECTION AGAIN. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AROUND A CORNER AT 55 MPH. I CAN'T TAKE IT ON THE FREEWAYS EITHER KNOWING THAT I CAN BARELY HANDLE MY CAR AT 55 MPH, LET ALONE HOW I WOULD MANAGE AT 65-70 MPH WITH A LOT MORE TRAFFIC AND BARRIERS WITHOUT POSSIBLY HITTING SOMETHING. I EVEN HAD PASSENGERS MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT MY DRIVING, SAYING THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A PING PONG BALL AND THAT I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE. I ASSURE YOU I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE DROVE MANY OTHER VEHICLES, INCLUDING MY MOTHER'S CHEVY AVALANCHE, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I CAN'T ENJOY DRIVING THE ONLY NEWEST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER HAD AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T HAVE ANYONE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME ANYMORE, ESPECIALLY MY 1 YEAR OLD NIECE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE AND NOW I'M TAKING IT TO MY DEALER LATER THIS WEEK. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH MY DEALER, THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY THAT THERE PROBABLY ISN'T A PROBLEM BECAUSE I NEVER OWNED A CHEVY PREVIOUSLY AND THAT I WAS JUST NOT USE TO THE WAY THE NEWER VEHICLES HANDLE. I EVEN MENTIONED THAT MY BROTHER HAS A 2013 CHEVY MALIBU AND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS SO IT'S NOT JUST A RANDOM OCCURRENCE. I AM NOT A VEHICLE EXPERT, BUT I KNOW THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND NOW I DREAD DRIVING MY VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURING OTHERS. GENERAL MOTORS DEFINITELY NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES OCCUR. *TR

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THE STEERING CONTINUALLY LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. IT TAKES A SHARP PULL TO GET IT UNLOCKED. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I GO OVER 40MPH. *TR

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STEERING WAS GREAT UP TO ABOUT 7000 MILES, THEN GRADUALLY SEEM TO LOSE ITS CENTERING CAPABILITY. STEADY DRIVING, ESPECIALLY HIGHWAY CRUISING, BEGAN TO REQUIRE CONSTANT CORRECTIONS AND EACH CORRECTION BECAME AN OVERCORRECTION BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED TO BE STUCK IN POSITION. THE JERK FROM BEING STUCK CAUSES ANOTHER OVERCORRECTION THE OTHER DIRECTION. DRIVING THE CAR HAS BECOME VERY ANNOYING, AND I SUSPECT WILL EVEN BECOME A HAZARD VERY SHORTLY. I NOW HAVE 12K MILES. MY SECOND VISIT TO THE DEALER (ABOUT 10K MILES) RESULTED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. WILL TRY AGAIN NEXT WEEK. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBITED A SLIGHT DELAY AND A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A COMPUTER GLITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

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WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE STEERING GETS STUCK AND I HAVE TO PULL IT BACK TO THE RIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE POWER ASSIST AT THIS TIME. I FEEL THAT WITH THE STEERING GETTING STUCK I MAY HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING IT BACK SO AS TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS STEERING MECHANISM. *TR

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STEERING HAS A DEAD SPOT AT NEUTRAL AS THOUGH THE STEERING LOCKS UP AND A FORCE MUST BE APPLIED TO BREAK IT LOOSE. DISCREPANCY OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE. DEALER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG. SUSPECT A PROBLEM IN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING ABRUPTLY CEASED WORKING AND A SERVICE WARNING CAME ON. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR PROBLEM. AFTER PULLING OVER, STOPPING THE AUTO AND A WAIT OF 90 MINUTES, THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THE DEALER "REPROGRAMMED AND INITIALIZED POWER STEERING MODULE, CLEARED CODE AND CONFIRMED REPAIRS". *TR

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DRIVING ALONE IN THE CAR ON A SMOOTH DRY ROAD WITH HILLS AT 40 - 55MPH THE STEERING WOULD PULL THE CAR OFF THE CENTERLINE AND THEN STICK UNTIL I PULLED IT BACK TO CENTER. NOT A LOT OF FORCE REQUIRED TO BRING BACK ON CENTER BUT IT CONTINUED TO DO IT NUMEROUS TIMES. IT APPEARED THE WANDER WAS NOT DUE TO ROAD SURFACE CONDITIONS BUT SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE STICKING CONDITION IS OF MAJOR CONCERN AS LOSS OF CONTROL WAS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE IT WAS HAPPENING AT A HIGHER SPEEDS ON A HILLY TWO LANE ROAD. IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS ALLOWING THE ASSIST TO LIGHTEN UP THEN SOMETHING JAMS UNTIL A SLIGHT CORRECTION UNLOCKS IT.THERE IS VERY LITTLE NORMAL ROAD FEEL THROUGH THE STEERING WHEN THIS OCCURS. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS ROUTE A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND AROUND TOWN AT LOW SPEEDS IT IS FINE.I SHOULD MENTION THIS MODEL IS THE LTZ WITH WIDE TIRES (19 INCH GOODYEAR EAGLE RSA: HORRIBLE TRACTION IN SNOW BUT VERY GOOD ON DRY ROAD SURFACE) THAT ARE INFLATED TO THE PROPER 35PSI ALL AROUND PER THE OPERATORS INSTRUCTIONS. I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT MY PREVIOUS CAR WAS A 2005 MALIBU WITH ELECTRIC STEERING SO I AM QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE ASSIST AND THAT ONE NEVER BEHAVED LIKE THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEALER CAN DO FOR ME BECAUSE IT HAS ONLY DONE THIS ONCE SO FAR AND APPEARS NORMAL ONCE AGAIN. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THIS CAR AT HIGH SPEEDS AT THIS POINT. *TR

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I HIT A DEER GOING 55 MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I GOT A STATEMENT ON THE SCREEN RIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENED SAYING AIRBAG SERVICE. I WOULD THINK HITTING SOMETHING GOING THAT FIRST WOULD DEPLOY AN AIRBAG. *TR

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WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE STEERING SEEMS TO LOCK UP AND THEN THE CAR WILL SLIGHTLY DRIFT AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PULL ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO BREAK/ UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. IT MAKES A VERY JERKY MOVEMENT THAT CAN BE UNSAFE. *TR

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THE STEERING CONTINUALLY LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. IT TAKES A SHARP PULL TO GET IT UNLOCKED. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPY AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

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PURCHASED 2013 CHEVY MALIBU ECO IN AUGUST 2013, AND RECENTLY STARTED NOTICING THAT STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY STIFF AND FEELS LIKE IT LOCKS WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH AND IN A 12 O'CLOCK STEERING POSITION. I HAVE TO JERK IT WHEN MAKING SLIGHT TURNS OR CHANGING LANES, AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK IT TO FREEWAY CHEVROLET IN CHANDLER, AZ. THE CAR WAS LEFT THERE FOR FOUR DAYS, AND DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING POWER IS ELECTRICAL AND THEIR COMPUTER READS THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH IT. WELL, I AM STILL ENCOUNTERING SAME ISSUE AND FEAR I MAY HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT. NOW THAT I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, THERE MAY BE A LAWSUIT COMING AGAINST CHEVY. *TR

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WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE ONE HAS TO CORRECT TO KEEP ON GOING STRAIGHT AND IN DOING SO THERE IS A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE STEERING, ALMOST AS THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T WANT TO TURN BUT WITH A LITTLE MOTE EFFORT IT GETS OVER THE BUMP. *TR

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ERRATIC STEERING WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN IN THE LEFT LANE THE CAR WILL ALWAYS DRIFT TOWARDS THE DITCH AFTER A FEW FEET. WHEN IN THE RIGHT LANE THE CAR WILL ALWAYS DRIFT INTO THE LEFT LANE WITHIN A FEW FEET. ALSO HAVE ISSUE WITH A 'LOCK' IN THE STEERING WHEEL, WHEN DRIVING FOR A COUPLE OF MILES, WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, HAVE TO GIVE STEERING WHEEL EXTRA PUSH TO MAKE IT MOVE, IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED IN PLACE. EXTRA PUSH IS GIVEN THEN I OVER STEER INTO ANOTHER LANE AND NEED TO CORRECT INTO MY LANE. LOOKS LIKE I AM SWERVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR

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THE CAR APPEARS TO HAVE NO CENTER. SOMETIMES IT PULLS LEFT AND SOMETIMES IT PULLS RIGHT. WHEN I GO TO CORRECT THE ISSUE THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND RIGHT AWAY, THEN IT OVER CORRECTS. THE CAR NEVER RIDES IN THE CENTER ANYMORE. I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IS GOING TO REPORT ME FOR DRUNK DRIVING OR THAT I AM GOING TO GET PULLED OVER FOR IT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR IT AND THEY "CANNOT DUPLICATE" AND TELL ME THAT IT'S NORMAL FOR THE CAR TO DRIVE THAT WAY BECAUSE ITS ALL ELECTRIC NOW. THE CAR DID NOT DRIVE LIKE THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. IF IT DID, I WOULD HAVE NOT PURCHASED IT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. ..UPDATED 03/18/14 *BF THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. UPDATED 03/21/14

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WAITING AT A CORNER FOR A CLEAR SPOT TO CROSS FIVE LANE ROAD. WAS WATCHING A TRUCK WITH A SNOW PLOW WANTING TO TURN ONTO SAME ROAD THAT I NEEDED TO CROSS. LOOKED BOTH WAYS AND THEN BACK AT THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK DID NOT MOVE SO I PROCEEDED AND I ONLY MADE IT JUST BEYOND THE TURN LANE AND GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. I TRIED AS FAST AS I COULD TO STAY IN THE TURN LANE BUT STILL GOT HIT. OTHER DRIVER DID NOT TRY TO AVOID US. WE WERE HIT HARD IN THE RIGHT FRONT OF OUR CAR. THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE ROAD I WANTED TO CROSS IS 55 MPH SO WE WERE HIT PRETTY HARD. NOW THIS IS WHERE WE GET MAD. OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY WIFE AND I WERE SHAKEN VERY BAD. WE EACH HAVE A DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS AS WE ARE VERY SORE AND STIFF. *TR

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