My question involves a consumer law issue in the State of: Florida.

In March 2011, I purchased a used 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. It was supposed to be equipped with airbags. I got in a pretty serious accident where my car hood was smashed in, but the car was still drivable, at about 30 mph where I slid into the back of a stopped car at a light because my other options were on the right, a house or pole, or on the left, oncoming traffic. I rear ended a fairly recent Toyota Corolla which I have come to find had over 10K in damage and was totaled out. It was pretty moderate to severe, as I said (which is why I explained that part).

My son made a point when he saw the car and he said "Mommy, you're lucky the airbag didn't come out, huh?" It never even dawned on me. I told the story to someone else and they told me that a car that has airbags, is not legally allowed to be sold if the airbags aren't working or if they have ever been deployed and that the dealership will have to give me another vehicle. When I purchased the vehicle, I suspected it may have been a drug seize or something and purchased by the dealer at auction, because the back seat wouldn't stay latched on, as in where you sit. The panel that has the lock/window/mirror controls was not in securely (I figured it was just cosmetic). I never thought that the airbag compartments may have been tampered with. Some other stuff but I don't remember what, was also wrong.

My question is this, was the dealership in the wrong, is the person who gave me the information regarding cars that have airbags, correct or incorrect? Should the dealership have to give me another vehicle because the airbags didn't deploy in the accident? Basically, did they violate any consumer laws by selling me a car with either (A) airbags that were previously deployed and not disclosing it or (B) airbags that were missing?