Preserve the integrity of your airbags so that they can deliver the utmost protection.

In the auto body repair industry, we receive manufacturers’ Position Statements that describe each automaker’s recommendations for how those repairs should be done. 

General Motors has released a detailed statement explaining why it prohibits the use of any parts other than genuine GM warranted parts in the repair of its vehicles.

If you own a Cadillac and need to replace your airbag system, it is crucial to follow GM’s guidelines.

Safety is the primary reason to use new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts.

According to General Motors:

“Air bag system components are carefully developed and specifically tuned for the specific vehicle environment. Corresponding air bag system components from other models or other model years may appear similar from the outside, may even fit the vehicle, but different internal elements or calibrations may result in degraded restraint performance.”

GM explains that new OEM parts have been designed and manufactured specifically for your vehicle’s make, model, and year, using the highest-quality materials. 

Using aftermarket parts, salvaged parts, or parts from previous model years could jeopardize your entire air bag system, potentially risking your safety.  

The last thing you would want is for your airbag system to fail when you need it.  

Safety and reliability go hand-in-hand when it comes to your vehicle.  GM makes an essential point about the reliability of salvaged parts:

“Reuse of used or salvaged components brings into question the conditions under which the components were obtained and stored before use. Components could have been damaged or stored under unfavorable conditions that could compromise performance and reliability.”

They say it’s often difficult to determine the history of the car from which the salvaged parts came.  Who knows whether that car was previously in an accident or if the airbag components were compromised in any way? 

A vehicle is a finely-tuned machine that functions well when all its parts work together correctly.  Using a salvaged or used part could throw the whole system off.  

 

Failure to use new OEM parts on your Cadillac could void your warranty.

It’s pretty standard for manufacturers to stipulate that new parts must be used for them to honor your vehicle’s warranty. 

This is no different for GM, which states, “The use of these new parts is consistent with the vehicle factory warranty and extended warranty programs.”

You can count on us for a repair that follows GM’s guidelines about air bag components.

The reason why Alioto’s explains the manufacturer’s Position Statement to you is that we want you to understand why we take it so seriously ourselves. 

Some shops don’t really care what the manufacturer says, and they use whatever parts they can get their hands on.  We refuse to take such a chance, because we don’t believe it’s worth the risk to your safety, your warranty, or your vehicle’s performance. 

We deliver only the best auto body repair for your Cadillac.