Airbag complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Chevrolet Venture. While driving approximately 35 MPH in the rain, the vehicle hydroplaned to the left and then back to its lane. The rear tires rolled off the road and caused the vehicle to crash into a ditch. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a body shop and deemed destroyed by the insurance company. The failure mileage was 130,000.
I was turning through a left bend on a residential road at approximately 45 MPH. Posted speed 40 MPH, when the rear axle split at the drivers side hub. This caused me to spin around and crash between a power pole and a tree. My air bags never deployed even with frontal impact and both side door impacted. We walked away with minor whiplash and a few bumps here and there, but the van was totaled with less than 31,000 miles on it and it was well maintained.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Venture. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, when a police officer ran the red traffic light and crashed into the driver's side door, and pushed the vehicle into a school bus. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated she has a broken right foot and did seek medical attention at the hospital and was waiting for a pending surgery. The police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to towing lot. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,072.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Chevrolet Venture. While the contact's vehicle was at a complete stop, it was rear ended by another vehicle traveling approximately 50 MPH. None of the air bags deployed. The contact was pregnant and had to be transported to the hospital via ambulance. A police report was filed. The driver of the other vehicle was intoxicated. There were two passengers who also had to be hospitalized and transported via ambulance. The vehicle was totaled and towed to a junk yard. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was 270,000.
Driving on a driveway (estimated speed 5-10 mph) when I noted that the driver side door didn't seem completely closed. I tugged on the door handle to shut it and instantaneously felt the driver-side side airbag deploy, scraping my left forearm, left ear, and rupturing the left eardrum. There had been no collision or accident involving the car or any other structure. The vehicle has not been in a prior accident, and has not had additional electric work performed to any of its systems since manufacturing. The vehicle is available for inspection, it has not been inspected yet by a manufacturer or dealer, and the airbag affected my safety by causing physical harm due to faulty deployment.
Driver of veh. #1 2003 chev Venture ls was east bound through a controled intersection, when veh. 2 a 1997 Jeep was west bound in into the intersection and made an abrup left turn in front of veh. #1. Both vehicles struck each other in the left front corner of each vehicle. Veh. #1 was declared totalled by travelers insurance co. The lf portion of the van was shoved back in to the motor, radiator, along with the lf wheel and assembly. The drivers airbag did not deploy from the near head on crash.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Venture. While the vehicle was parked, the driver and passenger side air bags suddenly deployed without warning. The contact sustained injuries, but did not require medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000. Updated 04/06/16 the consumer stated the check engine light illuminated. Updated 04/19/2016.
Takata recall I was driving and ran off the edge of the road and over corrected myself an hit an embankment head on and my face went into the steering wheel and then was thrown for the van out the back passenger window and the van then landed on my foot before I hit the road due to air bag never deploying my nose was torn about off my face and brook 4 ribs fractured 5 and my foot and ankle and foot was badly damaged my seat belt was put on but for some reason didn't work.
Related recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
On certain Mini vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that May not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on March 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and Mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began December 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
Air bags › Frontal
Certain passenger, Mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began August 15, 2002.
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on January 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on April 17, 2001.
NHTSA investigations
Air bag tear during deployment
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Venture years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (40), 2000 (31), 1998 (27), 2002 (20) and 2003 (17) model years. Airbag complaints make up 11% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Venture airbag problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 03V-051 (inflator module, Feb 14, 2003); 02V-329 (frontal, Dec 9, 2002); 02V-222 (frontal, Aug 9, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Venture airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (59 mentions), followed by the side/window (18).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.