Air Bag Settlement Angers Car Buyers

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A class-action settlement on 131,000 former Enterprise Rent-A-Car vehicles that lacked side air bags is angering many who bought the cars.

The agreement, approved by a Missouri judge last week, would give $100 vouchers and small stickers warning "No Side Curtain Airbags" to buyers of some Chevrolets and Buicks that came from the Enterprise fleet, The Kansas (Mo.) City Star reported. The bags were intentionally left out during manufacturing.

The owners are supposed to put the stickers on their cars when selling them.

Stuart Talley, a lawyer who tried to block the agreement, complained, "The attorneys get paid off a lot and class members get next to nothing."

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Maura McShane let four law firms representing car owners split $1.3 million.

The Kansas City Star reported in 2009 that General Motors let Enterprise and other large buyers "delete" head-protecting side airbags. The option saved Enterprise more than $15 million over three years.

The cars, mostly 2006-08 Impalas, were sold to consumers or auctioned to dealers.

Because side bags were standard, cars were inaccurately advertised online as having the safety features or a "5-Star Driver Side Crash Rating."