Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | ||||||
| RQ98013 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 08/26/1998 | OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS | 98V146000 | ||
| The air bagds can inadvertently deploy from a minor frontal impact or an undercarriage impact | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 09/16/2012 | 104203 | 1 | |
| While driving home from the park, driver side air bag went off, burst of powder and horn blowing, scraped right hand. was able to pull to side of road and undo fuse to horn. found out by going online many others have had this happen is there any recourse to this that i can follow up on? note: it seems gmc has known about this and really should have recalled these vehicles or taken them off the road, serious injury or death could have happened if these blow without cause. *tr | |||
| 09/16/2012 | 104203 | ||
| While driving home from the park, driver side air bag went off, burst of powder and horn blowing, scraped right hand. was able to pull to side of road and undo fuse to horn. found out by going online many others have had this happen is there any recourse to this that i can follow up on? note: it seems gmc has known about this and really should have recalled these vehicles or taken them off the road, serious injury or death could have happened if these blow without cause. | |||
| 08/21/2012 | 125299 | 1 | |
| I had just turned my car on and put it in reverse to back out of a parking spot. i only moved about two inches backwards, not even going over 5 mph, when the air bag randomly deployed without warning. it hit me on the left side of my head/neck, chest, and arm resulting in cuts, burns, and bruises in those areas. my left ear started ringing and i momentarily lost hearing on that side. i did not hit anything with my vehicle nor did something hit me. my car did not even leave the parking spot before this incident occurred. after i gained composure and realized what had just happened, i made my way out of the car and a man who witnessed everything walked me to the fire department near by. my cuts were tended to and i was transported to the hospital by ambulance for further treatment and examining. *tr | |||
| 08/21/2012 | 125299 | ||
| I had just turned my car on and put it in reverse to back out of a parking spot. i only moved about two inches backwards, not even going over 5 mph, when the air bag randomly deployed without warning. it hit me on the left side of my head/neck, chest, and arm resulting in cuts, burns, and bruises in those areas. my left ear started ringing and i momentarily lost hearing on that side. i did not hit anything with my vehicle nor did something hit me. my car did not even leave the parking spot before this incident occurred. after i gained composure and realized what had just happened, i made my way out of the car and a man who witnessed everything walked me to the fire department near by. my cuts were tended to and i was transported to the hospital by ambulance for further treatment and examining. | |||
| 11/02/2011 | |||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact stated that the front driver side air bag deployed inadvertently while the contact was seated in the front driver side seat. the air bag was on fire and ignited the jacket that the contact was wearing. the contact was able to extinguish the fire and shut the vehicle off. the fire department reported to the scene and a fire report was filed. the fire department taped the air bag into the dashboard in order for the contact to be able to drive the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics or repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown. | |||
| 11/02/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact stated that the front driver side air bag deployed inadvertently while the contact was seated in the front driver side seat. the air bag was on fire and ignited the jacket that the contact was wearing. the contact was able to extinguish the fire and shut the vehicle off. the fire department reported to the scene and a fire report was filed. the fire department taped the air bag into the dashboard in order for the contact to be able to drive the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics or repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown. kmj | |||
| 11/02/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. while parked the front drivers side air bag deployed inadvertently while the contact was seated in the front driver side seat. the contact stated the air bag was on fire and lit her jacket on fire. the contact was able to put out the fire on her jacket and shut the vehicle off. the fire department reported to the scene and a report was filed. the fire department taped the air bag into the vehicle in order for the contact to drive the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown. ds | |||
| 03/21/2011 | 230000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the driver and passenger air bags deployed without warning. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired by a dealer or mechanic. the manufacturer was contacted but the contact was advised to call back the following day. the vehicel was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was approximately 230,000. | |||
| 03/21/2011 | 230000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact stated that while driving at low speeds the driver and passenger air bags deployed without any warning. the vehicle has not been inspected nor repaired by a dealer or mechanic. the manufacturer was contacted and advised her to contact them the next business day. the failure and current mileages were approximately 230,000. tb | |||
| 02/25/2011 | 180000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am . the contact stated that while driving 65 mph the air bags deployed without any explanation. he also mentioned that the air bag itself had burn marks. the dealer nor the manufacturer were not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 180,000. pm | |||
| 06/13/2008 | 186000 | 1 | |
| I have a 1996 ponitac grand am that has water in the passenger compartment. gm sent a letter stating that the air bag module could deploy the air bags with warning while driving without a crash or when the key is turn on. this has many complaints but no one is doing anything. as a auto tech for my own safety as well of others there should be a recall and of the effective years or 96-98 grand ams. they said injuries have been reported already. *tr | |||
| 05/05/2009 | 100608 | 1 | |
| My airbag deployed under normal driving conditions (no impact/crash, no damage, etc.) after doing some research, i learned that it could be due to the fact that my car was wet (not flooded.) i suffered brush burns up my forearms. i received a letter from pontiac stating that they are aware of this problem, however, there is no recall and it is up to the owner to fix it (at the owner's expense.) if pontiac is aware of the problem, and sent out millions of letters, they should issue a recall. at the very least, they should pay for the damages/repairs. *tr | |||
| 04/28/2009 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. while driving 35 mph, the air bag deployed in the contact's face. there was no impact or crash at the time of the deployment. she lost control of the vehicle, but managed to pull over to the side of the road. the contact was the only occupant in the vehicle and she was wearing her seat belt at the time. she suffered severe chemical burns all over her face and was transported to the emergency room for her injuries. the contact has not yet notified pontiac. the failure mileage was unknown. | |||
| 04/27/2009 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. while driving approximately 35 mph, the front driver's side air bag deployed without warning. there were no injuries. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were unknown. | |||
| 03/03/2008 | 172000 | 1 | |
| 1996 pontiac grand am air bags deployed with no contact or collision. vehicle had to be sold to salvage co. due to local codes. vehicle damage too costly to repair. driver sustained injury. *tr | |||
| 09/01/1996 | 11700 | 1 | |
| 06/05 water under the dash made me think the windshield was leaking-an auto glass dealer determined it was not leaking and agreed to take out the carpet-he discovered the firewall was not sealed properly from the factory- i paid him to seal it & dry & replace the carpet...09/07 i had problems with the all the alarm lights on the dash coming on---after turning off &restarting the car--the only light left on was the air bag light----06/17/08 i received an 'owner manual supplement' to add to my owners manual telling me the air bag controller may or may not deploy in a crash or even without warning....this is a design defect ...there are 1000's of the these time bombs going down the same highways we are traveling-gm needs to issue a recall & replace these---gm is not able to notify every owner of this problem after 12 years-people are driving these vehicles 60 and 70 miles an hour down the highways & their air bag may deploy without warning--the potential for horrific accidents even deaths of innocent people are inevitable-please force gm to take recall not print inserts for the owners manuals. *tr | |||
| 04/05/2008 | 101197 | 1 | |
| Air bag light stays on after you start the car due to air bag controller getting wet. it is under the passenger seat. *tr | |||
| 06/16/2008 | 1 | ||
| There is water on all four floors of my car (front driver and passenger/back seat two both passenger sides). the rear left floor has particularly heavy water saturation. my air bag light has also stayed on for the last two weeks. yesterday, i received a letter from gm indicating that the air bag controller on the 1996 pontiac grand am is mounted above the floor pan beneath the front passenger seat, and that if the vehicle is exposed to significant water entering the interior and soaking the carpet, the air bag controller can be soaked and damaged. the damaged controller can make the air bags deflate, even without impact or crash. conversely, the air bags may not deploy at all because of the controller damage. this letter was sent by gm as an owner manual supplement and they will not be responsible for what is clearly a problem. at this point, no recall has been issued. because i am unemployed, i have no money to repair the car, and am scared to drive it. hence, i now have no transportation as well as no money or job. gm should be responsible for this. if they are aware enough of a problem as to notify owners of this car, they should be paying for repairs to a car that is saturated with water. *tr | |||
| 03/17/2008 | 180000 | 1 | |
| Air bags deployed while driving the car ( no crash). *tr | |||
| 05/03/2008 | 172000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. while driving 25 mph uphill, both front air bags deployed. the contact was unable to notify the dealer due to a weekend schedule. the vehicle is currently at her place of employment. the failure mileage was 172,000. | |||
| 03/16/2008 | 2 | 02/12/2008 | |
| Air bags driver and passenger deployed while driving car for no reason no auto crash. *tr | |||
| 05/07/2007 | 123910 | 1 | 02/15/2005 |
| My daughter's vehicle air bag came on. we made a appointment with the garage. meanwhile on the way to work she turned the key on and the air bag went off. injuries were sustained. *ak | |||
| 03/09/2007 | 69000 | 1 | 03/18/2006 |
| Tl*- the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. three of the customers children while driving at 25 mph the driver side and passenger side air bags deployed without warning. no warning lights illuminated before or after they deployed. the driver sustained bruises and some abrasions from the air bag , including a minor injury to his eye when a piece of plastic popped off. gmc offered the contact $3,000 for the vehicle, and stated that they would assume liability. however, they were unable to diagnose the failure. the current and failure mileage were 95,000. *ak the consumer stated that her daughter also sustained minor burns and injuries. updated 10/16/07 *tr | |||
| 02/08/2005 | 62000 | 3 | 06/20/2000 |
| A tech issue memo issued from pontiac/gm dated april, 1998 stated that owners may claim water leaking into the front passenger compartment of the car due to an inferior adhesive used during the manufacturing process on the top vent grille... was given to me by my mechanic, after i disvoered water leakage on my passenger area floor for 2 years (which i attributed to my negligence only) until this water leakage finally caused a short in my air bag module (located under the front passenger seat) which caused all of the other car electrical systems to short out. seal to the top vent grille was replaced, short repaired, airbag module was disconnected and the battery was replaced. the airbag module will be replaced at a later date when i can afford it. this totals $956.99 (including ny sales tax) which i requested pontiac reimburse me for. they steadfastedly refuse to reimburse me due to basically 4 things: (1) the warranty time expired on the car, (2) the age of the car, (3) the fact that i didn't bring it directly to pontiac to fix it (4) the fact that it wasn't a recall... my arguement is: (1) the warranty expiring shouldn't absolve gm/pontiac of responsibility of the defect, (2) the normal wear and tear on this car (in spite of it's age) wouldn't have produced this water damage if the top vent grille was properly sealed in the manufacturing process by pontiac in the first place (3) i didn't know that pontiac caused this problem until after the damage was done and my mechanic told me about the tech issue memo (i have a copy) and (4) why wasn't this a recall? i sent a letter to pontiac's customer assistance center in detroit, mi on or about june 27, 2005 with all relevant documentation backing up my claim (yours for the asking), who called me back today, refusing to reimburse me on this claim. i know that negligence by pontiac caused some major damage to my car of which i believe i should be reimbursed for. | |||
| 12/15/2004 | 142441 | 1 | 02/03/2004 |
| On wenesday december 15 at approximentally 7:20 p.m. i went out to my boyfriend, scott fuller's car to roll up a window that was down. as i placed the key in the ignition, and turned 1 click, the air bag spontaneously deployed in my face. i have a cut in the middle of my throat, and i bit through my lip on the right side, i have bruising on the left side of my chest and i can barely hear in me left ear. his windows are electric that is why i needed to put the key in the ignition. he has a 1996 pontiac grand am gt, vin # 2nw12m6tc813666, car mileage:142,441and his insurance company is aa&j insurance company 109 e. main st. gouverneur n.y. 13642 policy # 17772843-1. *ak | |||
| 107885 | 1 | ||
| While sitting at a red light passenger's side air bag deployed. also, while turning into a parking lot driver's side air bag deployed. vehicle was filled with co2. *ak | |||
| 04/17/2002 | 1 | 06/21/1999 | |
| While leaving a parking space air bag deployed by itself. vehicle was not in a crash. dealer contacted.*ak | |||
| 11/14/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Constant problems mostly electrical, but from windows and locks to major things like alternators and ignition switches multiple times. contacted pontiac over a year and never heard even a reply. any recalls or factory fix info would be appreciated. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2000 | 07/01/1997 | ||
| In june 2000 horn started sounding off at all hours i have to tap the horn several times to make it stop. i took the grandam to a pontiac dealership courtesy of lex. the service dept. iformed me that my airbag was swelling and could deploy at anytime. they were going to charge me $700.00 to replace the system. i refused. i feel that this is a factory defect. | |||
| 1 | 07/01/1997 | ||
| The sensor, due to water in and under the carpeting,caused the driver side air bag to deploy. yh | |||
| 09/09/1995 | 1 | 11/03/1997 | |
| Violent deployment of air bag during collision, resulting in injuries to head,neck and face. | |||
| 1 | 03/29/1996 | ||
| Unspecified: consumer is concerned about air bag being to close to her chest, air bag warnings indicate she is positioned too close to the missile and will suffer injury on deployment. the law states that the dealership cannot remove the air bag. | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 03/15/2011 | 146242 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph the drivers side air bag exploded and then the passenger side air bag exploded. after the explosion the contact continued to drive home and park the vehicle. the air bag hit her in the chest but she did not go to the hospital. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle, found no other damage and contacted the manufacturer. the manufacturer offered her $500 as a buy back for the vehicle. complaint file#297715 was filed with the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 146,242. | |||
| 03/15/2011 | 146242 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact stated while driving 30 mph the driver side air bag exploded and then the passenger side air bag exploded. after the explosion the contact continued to drive home and park the vehicle. the air bag hit her in the chest but she did not go to the hospital. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and found no other damages and contacted the manufacturer. the manufacturer was contacted who offered her $500 as a buy back deal for the vehicle. a complaint was file#297715. the failure mileage was 146,242....mw | |||
| 06/28/2010 | 20478 | ||
| I was traveling along the highway going exactly 60 mph when something popped causing me to loose control of my vehicle ( all passengers were in seat bealts) we slid down a ditch hitting a light pole causing the vehicl to come to a stop neither the driver or the passenger bag deployed. we were traveling at a high rate of spped and the air bags malfunctioned causing my fiance to hit her head on the dash. | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 175000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. while driving at approximately 65 mph, the driver's side air suddenly deployed. the contact was able to drive onto the emergency lane and wrap the deflated air bag to keep it from obstructing his vision. the vehicle was not taken to an authorized dealer. the current and failure mileages were approximately 175,000. | |||
| 11/14/2008 | 122000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. while stopping at a stop sign, the driver's side air bag deployed without any impact. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the driver sustained injuries to the eyes and mouth, in addition to broken teeth. the vehicle was able to be driven. the police and ambulance were not called to the scene. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the failure and current mileages were 122,000. updated 12/12/08 *cn updated 12/15/08. *jb | |||
| 07/25/2008 | 140000 | 1 | 08/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. the contact received a recall notice from the manufacturer, which stated that there was an update to the owner's manual regarding spontaneous air bag deployment if the air bag module gets wet. three weeks later, while driving 25 mph, the driver's side front air bag spontaneously deployed. four days later, the passenger side air bag deployed. both failures occurred in dry weather conditions. the manufacturer stated that the company would not assume any financial responsibility because there was no recall. the failure and current mileages were 140,000. update 09/10/08 *cw updated 09/16/08 *jb | |||
| 05/20/2007 | 126000 | 1 | |
| I was going to work and started my car. the airbag on the drivers side exploded, knocking me back into the seat, knocking off my glasses and name tag, loosened 2 teeth, gave me abrasions to face, filled the car with smoke and knocked me unconscious for a few moments. i was not in gear at the time and was not traveling down the highway (which is a good thing because i could have been in a terrible accident), i was just sitting in my driveway. i have contacted my dealer and was told there was nothing to be done about this, no recalls, nothing. it is too expensive for me to replace and cannot drive my car anymore. i want the airbag replaced at no cost to me because i believe it is manufactures defect. other than a few problems with the lights and air conditioning not working i have loved this car and would still be driving it if i could get the airbag replaced free. can anyone out there help? i did receive a notice that there are problems with the airbag system but no recalls. help!!! *tr | |||
| 01/14/2008 | 118952 | 1 | 03/25/2007 |
| While driving along in my 1996 pontiac grand am the air bags deployed resulting in an injury to my 17 yr old daughter. the car was going about 20 mph and it happened for no reason. *tr | |||
| 02/14/2008 | 179000 | 1 | 06/26/2006 |
| 1996 pontiac grand am. driver's side air bag deployed for no apparent reason while driving down highway. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2007 | 1 | 02/18/2005 | |
| 1996 pontiac air bag deployed while starting the car. customer states air bag light came on he made an appointment to have it fixed sometime later his daughter was starting the car up and the air bag deployed she was taken to the hospital for minor burns**sb the consumer stated that his daughter will not drive the car anymore due to the fact the airbag deployed and injured her. the consumer stated he can't and won't sell to anyone and would like the dealer to pay off the additional $1,200 still owed on the car and warn others about the defect. *tr | |||
| 02/23/2007 | 14400 | 1 | 02/02/2007 |
| I stopped at a stop sign, started to creep forward to see if there was any oncoming traffic. i proceeded to go and i heard a loud sound like a gun shot. looked over to the passenger side of the car and my airbag had deployed for no reason and no warning. passenger side deployed but the drivers side did not. airbag light was not on. i did not hit anything head on and the road was clear. no reason for air bag to go off. *jb | |||
| 02/01/2007 | 1 | 05/28/2006 | |
| I was driving to school and the airbags deployed for no reason and hit me in my face. i called pontiac and the inspector is coming tomorrow to check my vehicle. it is pretty expensive to replace airbags and i am hoping pontiac replaces them for me as this was not my fault....it was a manufacturing defect. *jb | |||
| 07/28/2006 | 1 | 04/26/2003 | |
| I was driving down nys route 193 in woodville, ny when my air bag deployed without hitting anything. i received minor injuries and my passengers vehicle did not deploy so she was ok, but an air bag should not deploy for no reason. *nm | |||
| 01/17/2006 | 128000 | 1 | 09/01/2001 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph on slippery roads both frontal air bags deployed without warning. there was no crash or road debris. both occupants were wearing their seat belts. both occupants received minor injuries. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the deployment. *nm updated 02/21/06. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2006 | 123495 | 2 | |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 15 to 20 mph on a dirt road both frontal airbags deployed. the air bag deployment cracked the windshield and destroyed the dashboard. after the deployment the airbag warning light illuminated. the contact sustained injuries to the head and left hand.*ak | |||
| 10/18/2005 | 102988 | 1 | 05/25/1998 |
| On october 18, 2005 while driving at 30 mph in fair weather, the driver's side airbag unexpectedly deployed, though no contact was made with any other vehicle or stationary object. the airbag deployment caused extreme irritation via friction burn to right forearm of driver, temporary hearing distress to driver and passenger and near loss of control of vehicle due to shock of this deployment. investigation of similar incidents shows that likely cause is short in airbag control module under passenger seat due to presence of water on the floor of the vehicle. water on floor has been a perennial problem in my vehicle and many attempts to ascertain the cause (attribute to leaky molding, poor fitting window trim, etc.), were unsuccessful. perusal of similar complaints on this website show a clear pattern of similar events attributable to a manufacturer's defect (per tech issue memo issued by gm in 1998) related to inferior adhesive used during assembly of top vent grille. excessive rain typically results in water on floor of passenger compartment and has caused this same unexpected deployment of both driver and passenger side airbags in several complaints. likelihood of gm accepting responsibility for this defect and repairing the problem is apparently slim (per other complainants reports) due to age of vehicle and the fact that it has taken years to present itself, meaning no recall was issued by pontiac. i would recommend all owners of this vehicle who experience this water problem report it their gm dealership prior to experiencing the airbag deployment, as it could have had much more serious consequences if traveling at higher speeds in less than ideal conditions!!!*jb | |||
| 05/24/2005 | 1 | 11/26/2003 | |
| Dt: contact stated while driving vehicle the driver's side air bag deployed. contact did not hit anything in the road, there was no collision.*ak consumer states lawyers, insurance company, or gm will not help with this matter because there was not an accident or any injuries.*sb *nm | |||
| 04/06/2005 | 110100 | 1 | 04/01/2002 |
| After starting the vehicle while parked in the driveway driver's frontal air bag deployed inadvertently. dealer and manufacturer were notified.*ak | |||
| 03/15/2005 | 95500 | 1 | 07/01/2002 |
| I was driving on the expressway at 70 mph and without warning, my driverside airbag deployed. i was in shock and had temporary hearing loss. both of my lips were bloodied, i was burned on my neck and i still have ocassional ringing in my ears. i don't know how, but when my line of vision was clear, i saw i had maintained the position in my lane and continued traveling. then, a few minutes later, my passenger- side airbag deployed without warning. thankfully, my girlfriend was sleeping in the backseat. again i had temporary hearing loss, but kept driving until i got to my home. i contacted general motors dealership, but they did not feel they could help since they had not heard of this problem. there were a series of phone calls between general motors, my dad and me. out of the blue in one conversation, general motors asked if i had water on my floorboard and when i said that i did, they said the airbags probably deployed because of this and it was my fault for not getting that fixed. when my dad asked what that had to do with the airbags and if they were aware that this was a problem, they said it was a routine question. subsequently, a general motors dealership has concluded that water under the passenger seat cause the computer module to corrode. they are willing to replace the airbags and the computer, but not fix they water problem that they indicated may have caused this. we have discussed this problem with independent mechanics and have since received technical bulletins stating that the water problem is inherent to this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 03/15/2005 | 95941 | 1 | |
| After starting the vehicle driver's air bag deployed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Upon starting the vehicle air bags deployed. while consumer was backing out of the driveway the air bags deployed. contacted the mechanic. *ak *sc | |||
| 04/20/2004 | 8400 | 06/28/1996 | |
| Air bag went off by starting my car in the drive way.gm said they can not help because the car is out of warranty. *la | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 137000 | 1 | |
| To avoid hitting another vehicle head on driver veered off the road and ran into a telephone pole. upon impact, front air bags did not deploy. driver's head cracked the windshield, causing the driver to be unconscious for about 45 minutes. also, driver's teeth hit the steering wheel and cracked. in addition, driver's right arm, right knee, and neck were injured. once driver regained consciousness he drove to the emergency room because no one stopped to help. *ak | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 138926 | 1 | 11/01/2002 |
| While driving 35 mph both frontal air bags deployed inadvertently. the cause has yet to be determined. *nm there was a 15 second delay between the first and second air bag deployment. the driver and passenger received minor abrasions from the air bags. *nm | |||
| 1 | |||
| When the brakes were applied at 25 mph to make a turn, the driver's frontal air bag inadvertently deployed. please describe any further details. *nlm | |||
| 04/05/2003 | 1 | ||
| The front air bags deployed without impact. *jb | |||
| 04/11/2003 | 1 | ||
| The front air bag deployed without impact. *jb | |||
| 04/08/2003 | 1 | ||
| When a turn was made, the front air bag inadvertently deployed. *jb | |||
| 03/03/2003 | 5000 | 1 | |
| The air bags deployed without impact. *jb the consumer was driving the vehicle when the driver side airbag deployed. the dealer had given the consumer the run-around, while the air bag(s) still hasn't been replaced. scc | |||
| 08/20/2002 | |||
| While driving/ exiting driveway, dual air bags deployed with cause unknown. owner indicated that vehicle didn't hit any foreign objects or bumps in the driveway. please describe details. *ak | |||
| 10/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states vehicle was involved in rollover accident and neither air bags deployed. dealer notified. *tt | |||
| 05/06/2002 | |||
| Vehicle was going 5mph when suddenly air bag deployed with no impact to vehicle. passenger's air bag deployed a few seconds later then driver's air bag. dealer and manufacturer will be notified. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 04/17/2002 | |||
| While pulling out of the parking lot driver's front air bag deployed without cause. dealer and manufacturer were not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 03/23/2002 | |||
| While pulling out of parking lot and to avoid hitting another vehicle after making a sharp right turn, vehicle hit into front of a parked car, and none of airbags deployed.*ak | |||
| 12/23/2001 | |||
| While driving 55 mph and without collision occurring driver's and passenger's air bags deployed, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| 11/08/2001 | 1 | 01/10/2000 | |
| Both frontal air bags deployed while driving at 35 mph for no reason, this occurred one day after air bag light came on and remained on. manufacturer was notified. *ak *yh | |||
| 07/10/2001 | 1 | 07/01/1999 | |
| Front air bags inadvertently deployed, resulting in minor injuries to driver. inspection of vehicle by the dealer, determined that there was no logical reason for deployment of air bags. *ak driver was injured. *slc | |||
| 04/06/2001 | 2 | 12/01/2000 | |
| Air bags deployed for no apparant reason right side first, then 3 to 5 minutes later the left side. *ak | |||
| 04/06/2001 | 1 | 12/01/1999 | |
| While driving 45 mph on flat road passenger's airbag deployed. consumer pulled over and noticed smoke coming from under hood. raised hood, and saw smoke from driver's side. at that moment, driver's airbag deployed. engine was shut off. pontiac took no responsibility for this.*ak | |||
| 03/22/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| While driving 20 mph driver and passenger air bags deployed without collision occurring, cause unknown. *ak the manufacturer's inspector could not find the cause for air bag deploying. *yh | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | 02/03/2000 | |
| Driver's side air bag deployed without collision occurring, cause unknown. *ak | |||
| 03/16/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving about 10 mph consumer heard a buzzing noise; then, air bags deployed without an accident.*ak | |||
| While traveling and as a result of an accident, air bag did not deploy without indication. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 11/02/1999 | |||
| While driving 35- 40 mph, vehicle had a direct frontal impact, and driver/passenger airbags did not deploy, which did not protect the occupant. also, driver's seatbelt did not retract during the impact, causing the driver to sustain injuries. no previous problems with airbag or seatbelt. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 1 | 07/01/1997 | ||
| The sensor, due to water in and under the carpeting,caused the driver side air bag to deploy. yh | |||
| 09/23/1999 | |||
| Due to the carpet getting wet, the driver side air bag deployed. *ak | |||
| 09/28/1999 | |||
| Coming to a stop sign and another vehicle that was travelling approximately 60-70mph hit consumer's vehicle on tail end, and neither airbag deployed. *ak | |||
| 07/22/1999 | |||
| While driving at highway speeds driver had a frontal impact with a truck, hitting a barrier and landing in a ditch. upon impact, driver's and passenger's airbags did not deploy, which did not protect the occupant in this crash. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| Vehicle was in a side impact accident that turned the car over. vehicle was struck by another vehicle from the side, speed unknown. upon impact both driver's side/passenger's side air bags did not deploy. dealer has not been contacted. *ak | |||
| Consumer was involved in a 40 mph frontal collision in which driver's and passenger's air bags did not deploy. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 09/26/1998 | |||
| Driving down gravel road at 15-20 mph, both air bags deployed, resulting in an injury. driver was able to stop vehicle without any accident. *ak | |||
| 04/13/1998 | |||
| Consumer was driving at approximatley 5 mph, pulling into driveway, hit sidewalk curb, dual airbags deployed unexpectedley, causing neck/skin and eye injuries. owners manual states vehicle needs to be going at least 10-15 mph before airbags can deploy. *ak | |||
| 11/03/1997 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Consumer was involved in a head on collision and air bags did not deploy. she received neck/back and chest injuries. she also received injuries to her ankle and foot. *ak *slc | |||
| 09/09/1996 | 1 | 10/01/1995 | |
| Driving about 25 mph passed out due to high sugar level; hit 4x4 fence post & cedar tree head on; upon impact air bags did not deploy. vehicle rolled over on driver's side & then flipped back; hit head & had concussion; vehicle totaled. *ak it was the driver side air bag that did not deploy. *yh | |||
| 06/09/1997 | |||
| Vehicle was involved in frontal colllision, impact 12:00 position, driver 'sand passenger's side air bags did not deploy when driving at speed of 35mph. *ak | |||
| 02/03/1997 | |||
| Vehicle was impacted at 6:00 position, and then again at 12:00 position, dual,airbags did not deploy. *ak | |||
| 12/22/1996 | |||
| Driver was in a head-on collision and the driver's air bag deployed and exploded; driver was injured, hit face on the steering wheel. *ak | |||
| Upon impact, during frontal crash, at approx. 55mph, 10:00 on front bumper, dual airbags failed to deploy. *ak | |||
| 09/24/1996 | 02/01/1996 | ||
| Consumer states that his son was involved in a 45 mph side impact collision in which the driver's seat belt released and the air bags did not deploy. *ak | |||
| 07/26/1996 | 1 | ||
| The vehicle went over a pot hole at 7-9 mph,(according to police report), both air bags deployed, causing injury to a 5'1 1/2 104 pound woman. *ak*jb | |||
| 1 | 06/10/1996 | ||
| During frontal impact, the driver's side air bag deployed, causing consumer to receive chemical burns on chest and both arms. *ak | |||
| 07/04/1996 | 1 | 12/21/1996 | |
| Failure of the passenger side air bag, consumer was not involved in an accident and the passenger's side air bag deployed.*ak power steering pump needs replaced. leak around air intake. clicking noise occurs in the right front wheel area. *slc | |||
| 02/11/1996 | 1 | ||
| No deployment of drivers air bag in front end collision. | |||
| 06/04/1996 | |||
| Vehicle was impacte at 2:00 position at speed of 50mph, driver's side airbag did not deploy. *ak | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | |||
| 03/17/2006 | 135600 | 2 | |
| I was driving in my subdivision about three weeks ago, when suddenly the driver's side airbag in my 1996 pontiac grand am went off. i immediately pulled over, turned on the emergency lights, and my fiance and i got out of the car. about thirty seconds later, the passenger side air bag goes off. i was very fortunate that this did not occur on a main road or on the freeway because someone could have been seriously hurt. my fiance's mother and i have been in contact with general motors for about two weeks now. they have not been very helpful with my situation, and as of right now, i will probably have to pay for the repairs out of pocket, even though there was no accident, and i am not to blame for this. i have read similar cases on the internet, and this may be due to a corroded wire in the air bag system. gm should really consider calling a recall on these airbag systems before their customers get seriously hurt or worse as a result of gm's negligence. *nm | |||
| 02/08/2005 | 62000 | 3 | 06/20/2000 |
| A tech issue memo issued from pontiac/gm dated april, 1998 stated that owners may claim water leaking into the front passenger compartment of the car due to an inferior adhesive used during the manufacturing process on the top vent grille... was given to me by my mechanic, after i disvoered water leakage on my passenger area floor for 2 years (which i attributed to my negligence only) until this water leakage finally caused a short in my air bag module (located under the front passenger seat) which caused all of the other car electrical systems to short out. seal to the top vent grille was replaced, short repaired, airbag module was disconnected and the battery was replaced. the airbag module will be replaced at a later date when i can afford it. this totals $956.99 (including ny sales tax) which i requested pontiac reimburse me for. they steadfastedly refuse to reimburse me due to basically 4 things: (1) the warranty time expired on the car, (2) the age of the car, (3) the fact that i didn't bring it directly to pontiac to fix it (4) the fact that it wasn't a recall... my arguement is: (1) the warranty expiring shouldn't absolve gm/pontiac of responsibility of the defect, (2) the normal wear and tear on this car (in spite of it's age) wouldn't have produced this water damage if the top vent grille was properly sealed in the manufacturing process by pontiac in the first place (3) i didn't know that pontiac caused this problem until after the damage was done and my mechanic told me about the tech issue memo (i have a copy) and (4) why wasn't this a recall? i sent a letter to pontiac's customer assistance center in detroit, mi on or about june 27, 2005 with all relevant documentation backing up my claim (yours for the asking), who called me back today, refusing to reimburse me on this claim. i know that negligence by pontiac caused some major damage to my car of which i believe i should be reimbursed for. | |||
| 03/15/2005 | 95500 | 1 | 07/01/2002 |
| I was driving on the expressway at 70 mph and without warning, my driverside airbag deployed. i was in shock and had temporary hearing loss. both of my lips were bloodied, i was burned on my neck and i still have ocassional ringing in my ears. i don't know how, but when my line of vision was clear, i saw i had maintained the position in my lane and continued traveling. then, a few minutes later, my passenger- side airbag deployed without warning. thankfully, my girlfriend was sleeping in the backseat. again i had temporary hearing loss, but kept driving until i got to my home. i contacted general motors dealership, but they did not feel they could help since they had not heard of this problem. there were a series of phone calls between general motors, my dad and me. out of the blue in one conversation, general motors asked if i had water on my floorboard and when i said that i did, they said the airbags probably deployed because of this and it was my fault for not getting that fixed. when my dad asked what that had to do with the airbags and if they were aware that this was a problem, they said it was a routine question. subsequently, a general motors dealership has concluded that water under the passenger seat cause the computer module to corrode. they are willing to replace the airbags and the computer, but not fix they water problem that they indicated may have caused this. we have discussed this problem with independent mechanics and have since received technical bulletins stating that the water problem is inherent to this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 01/18/2004 | 106847 | 1 | 05/01/2000 |
| Air bag deployed when starting the vehicle. i leaned in to start my 96 pontiac grand am and when i turned the ignition the air bag deployed injuring my chest and neck. gm takes no responsibility as they say it is a maintenance issue due to standing water around the deployment module. *jb *sc *jb | |||
| 04/24/2003 | 143000 | 2 | |
| My driver side and passenger side airbags deployed while i was driving eastbound on rt. 251 without cause. fortunately, i was by myself and was able to pull off onto the side of the road. luckily, i sustained minor abrasions on the left side of my face. my insurance company would not pay for repairs, due to electrical short.*jb | |||
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | |||
| 07/29/2004 | 11000 | 2 | |
| While consumer was parking the vehicle passenger's side air bag deployed. consumer claimed that the vehicle never collided with anything nor ran over anything. the next day consumer took vehicle to dealer for the first air bag deployment when driver's side air bag deployed. the consumer suffered a split lip and abrasions on the arms.*ak | |||
| 06/12/2004 | 124252 | 1 | |
| While driving 70 mph driver side air bag deployed inadvertently. no injuries reported. *ak | |||
| 07/03/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2000 | |
| My husbandis driving and i am in the passenger seat driving down a dirt road at 30mph. we know you cant go fast on dirt roads so we are being precautious.all of the sudden the passenger side airbag deploys striking me in the face. the vehicle comes to a stop and we rush to the emergency room via a friend. i was injured. my neck was severely swelled and bruised as well as not being able to hear because of damage to the ear drum. the shock of the whole thing had my husband and i both shaken up. who knows what would have happened if this was the driver airbag instead of the passenger side. we are lucky but not happy.my husband and i feel very unsafe driving this vehicle.*ak | |||
| 04/17/2002 | 1 | 01/01/2002 | |
| I was drivingon a paved road when my drivers side airbag deployed. the road was smooth and i didn't hit anything.a friend cut the air bag out and we took it to dealer were i purchased car. they said to take it to a pontiac dealer. i ask if the other airbag would go off they said maybe. while backing into driveway the passenger side went off. took it to brown pontiac and they ran a check to get codes ,they found no codes. called pontiac with info. and i have a file #06730530. a represtitive is suppose to call back its been 4 days, nothing . i was just glad there wasn't an accident. can't get car fixed untill inspector from gm comes out in 4 weeks to 2 months. can you help?*ak | |||
| 05/17/2001 | |||
| While traveling at highway speed of 55 mph passenger's side air bag deployed for unknown reason. dealer /manufacturer were notified, and waiting on manufacturer's response. feel free to provide us with any further details on this matter. *ak | |||