Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 GMC Envoy owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 GMC Envoy. While driving approximately 25 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the contact crashed into the front end of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was declared totaled by the insurance company and towed from the scene. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal which caused the vehicle to crash into a tree. As a result, the air bag failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and left shoulder which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 189,325.
My spouse was driving down s/b on rt 313 @ rt 290 maryland. He hit a deer and rolled my Envoy and the air bags never deployed. My son was in front passager set with a set belt on and when the Envoy rolled his set belt did not hold him on. My spouse told me the anit-lock breaks did not engage when he slam on the breaks .
The consumer involved in a roll over accident. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained injuries and the front passenger's seat belt failed, the passenger was ejected from the seat and was killed. The seat belt and air bag effectiveness was questionable. This complaint was not filed by the consumer. Odi followed up with the personal information provided and the consumer was not aware of this complaint. The consumer who was driving the vehicle was just released from the hospital. The consumers wife was killed in the crash and could not remember the details of the incident. Cw police department was contacted by odi. The driver lost control while traveling about 68 MPH. Multiple rollover. Seat belt on pass side buckled after crash with some load marks on the webbing. Passenger side door tore from the hinge. Cause unknown. …
Drove to work Saturday night 12/07/2013 parked car at 7:30 pm went in to work .came out to my car at 10:00 pm for break to see my car smoking the passengers heated seat turned it's self on at some point and was on fire burning the seat and my cooler that was sitting on the seat was on fire and smoke filled the car was making it hard to breath the smoke was thick and smelled toxic. Me and my fellow employees dumped snow on and under the seat from as far,away as we could till the smoke calmed down.to get the fire out.I am so grateful I was not driving or there was no person sitting on the seat at the time could of caused me to wreck myself or others.on my drive home could not use the heat due to the fumes being to strong with the windows up and heat on had to drive with no heat and windows down 40 minutes with the temps in the teens.
My wife was driving around 35 MPH during a clear day when suddenly the steering wheel of our 2003 GMC Envoy started wobbling and she couldn't control it anymore. She stepped on the brakes but the vehicle wouldn't stop. The vehicle went over the curb and initially hit a utility pole on the left passenger side, then eventually hit the tree with the front bumper and knocked the two stationary objects down. Surprisingly, the airbag didn't even deploy. The insurance company declared the vehicle total wrecked and unrepairable. As expected, GMC declined responsibilities. They sent a so called independent investigator but they wouldn't give me his phone number. The report they sent contained only raw data about the airbag and nothing about the steering wheel. I will never buy or recommend a GMC again.
I was driving about 40 MPH when I went threw a yellow light when a older lady turn in front of me, I hit her on the passenger side between the front n back dr, , pushing n rolling n totaling her small SUV. She was not serious hurt. My airbags did not deploy. My Envoy was still driveable . I took my Envoy to my local GMC dealer to have them find prob why the airbags didn't go off, they or I called a rep for GMC, to come to sioux falls to investigate and he told me that the reason they didn't deploy was because I wasn't going fast enough for impact for deploy. I think that is bunch of bull. Can someone help me ,is there anything I can do .I hear that a person can receive cash from GMC if a person s airbags don't go off.
Tl contact owns a 2003 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a crash, rolled over five times, and landed on the front end. The vehicle then continued to roll over a few more times. The vehicle has a total of five air bags and none of them deployed. The vehicle was destroyed. The roof, rear, sides, and front of the vehicle were crushed completely. He notified the manufacturer and has yet to hear a response. He stated that the ligaments in his shoulder and neck are torn and he sustained muscle damage in his back. The contact is taking a number of medications due to the crash. The police and medivac unit arrived at the scene and a police report was filed. The speed was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 65,000.
Entering straight stretch of 2 lane hwy.,I swerved to miss object in my lane and part of adjacent lane. I could not straighten up vehicle. The vehicle rolled and struck a tree. The engine was off and the air bags did not inflate. My door was damaged and had to be cut off to free myself. The Envoy was totaled. My wife's harness did not hold and she was facing the rear between the front seats. The side air bags and front air bags did not work. The vehicle was well maintained with new tires and brakes. I was life flighted, and my wife was carried by ambulance to the hospital where we sustained multiple injuries.
My wife was in an accident with our new 2003 GMC Envoy slt, purchased in November of 2003. To avoid rear ending the car in front of her, she swerved the Envoy off of the road, down a hill and and hit a tree in the right front or passenger side of the vehicle. She hit the tree with such force that the damage to the front of the vehicle resulted in a total loss. My concern is the air bags never never deployed in this accident. I would like to know why? And I would like to know more information as to the operation of the air bag system in a GMC Envoy.
Related recalls
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
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.
Airbag complaints in other Envoy years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2003 GMC Envoy?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the air bags of the 2003 GMC Envoy, 9% of the model year's 394 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 GMC Envoy airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-051 (inflator module, Feb 14, 2003); NHTSA recall 02V-222 (frontal, Aug 9, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 GMC Envoy airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 27 crashes, 2 fires and 27 injuries and 3 deaths to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.