Last year, Enterprise made headlines when it began selling off certain GM vehicles with a side curtain airbag "delete" despite the fact that GM listed the feature as standard equipment. Often, dealerships used standard auto-fill forms in their ads that listed the cars as being equipped with the airbags even though they weren't.
The airbags could be deleted from certain 2006-08 Chevrolet Impalas, Cobalts and HHRs, as well as Buick LaCrosses. Most of those models available to consumers came with side airbags from the factory, but Enterprise took advantage of GM's fleet discount.
Some buyers, like Connie and Rodney Wittkopp, say they purchased the former Enterprise rental cars specifically for their safety features. The Wittkopps purchased a bright red Impala after they were broadsided in their Mercury Grand Marquis. They say they believed the $13,669 Impala was equipped with side airbags.
"A $100 coupon doesn't do it for me," Connie Wittkopp said. "I don't know how the people at Enterprise can live with themselves. My husband rides as a passenger with his eyes closed."
The Wittkopps said that their research led them to believe that their Impala would come with side airbags as a standard feature. Impalas offered through dealerships directly to consumers all came with side airbags.
Buyers like the Wittkopps received $100 vouchers as part of a $14 million class action settlement. Enterprise says it also plans to mail buyers yellow warning stickers that state "No side curtain airbags."
The idea is that the vehicles' owners will be able to affix the stickers to the cars before selling them.
"We typically do not comment on litigation," said Enterprise spokeswoman Laura Bryant. "However, the parties have negotiated a settlement and are proceeding in good faith."
Airbags for all
Enterprise says that it no longer deletes safety features to save money.
The car rental firm says that it broke no laws in ordering cars without side airbags because they still met federal safety standards.
