AUTO WAS RENTED FROM AVIS AT THE AIRPORT IN ORLANDO. WHILE PROCEEDING NORTH ON ROUTE 436 FROM THE AIRPORT AND SLOWING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT HANGING MOSS DR., THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG PREMATURELY DEPLOYED AFTER THE DRIVER HEARD A BRIEF SOUND LIKE A "HSST". THE DEPLOYMENT STARTLED MY WIFE, THE DRIVER AND WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG, OBSCURING HER VISION. BEFORE SHE COULD BRAKE TO A STOP SHE IMPACTED AN OLD PICKUP TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER WHO WAS ALSO SLOWING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE MALIBU BUT NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE PICKUP TRUCK. MY WIFE CALLED FOR THE POLICE AFTER BOTH THE PICKUP AND SHE MOVED THE VEHICLES TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID IMPEDING TRAFFIC. THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE SCENE WHILE MY WIFE WAITED FOR OVER 2 HOURS FOR THE POLICE TO ARRIVE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE POLICE AND WITH AVIS ABOUT THE PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS BUT WITH NO "OTHER VEHICLE PRESENT" THE POLICE COULD DO NOTHING BUT FILE A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT. MY WIFE WAS NOT CITED. AVIS IGNORED THE PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT ISSUE AND CHARGED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY THE $2,600. FOR REPAIRS AS IF A COLLISION CAUSED THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE SUSTAINED A MINOR BURN MARK ON HER ARM FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG.*AK