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 2005 GMC Envoy owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2005 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, another vehicle driven by a drunk driver swerved into the front of the vehicle, causing a front collision. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact hit his face again on the steering wheel, but did not seek medical assistance. The contact's wife, who was occupying the front passenger seat and wearing a seat belt, was severely injured and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact's wife was diagnosed by a trauma surgeon. The contact's wife was diagnosed with a fractured right knee cap, right ankle bone chips and ligament damage, damaged left toes, a double bone bruise in the left knee, bruised seat belt mark. The contact's wife was hospitalized for 6 days and was admitted to a rehabilitation facility for 11 days. …
I purchased my envoy from a used car lot with no warning lights and no apparent safety concerns about 2 yrs ago other then what appeared to be a replaced front bumper cover and the vehicle was repainted the same color white, since then the brakes have intermittently not disengaged on one side or the other I believe it's the front brakes and seems to be worse after a longer drives and after bleeding the system the pedal would be firm and next day spongy feeling and going down rather far. Air bags did not deploy apon impact. It is available for inspiration although I am attempting to repair it after my accident the brakes are still as they were. I have tried both on as well as performance pads and rotors booster check valve and fluid replacement with no change. …
On steering wheel where the GMC logo is . Melted/Melting from underneath. Some type of clear color gooey. Have been told it is seal for airbag. Also none of the chimes are not working at all example * seat belts, door,blinkers,dashboard chimes *dummy lights*,along with Bose stereo. Last issues are REAR VIEW MIRROR... KEEPS FALLING OFF. have taken to dealership SEVERAL TIMES! Now they are saying that I need to contact my auto insurance provider to put in claims.
My accident was May 25th 2018, my back passenger went off of a soft shoulder throwing me into 2 trees, I hit first one and seatbelt came apart but still over one shoulder hitting second tree and only thing that saved me was my right foot was under the brake and not on it, I hit my head on windshield causing me to have vision problems, severe whiplash, and rsd in right leg, I have to have cane, walker, or powerchair, my husband wants a divorce bc of my depression, my kids get fustrasted bc I forget I said something and I continue to repeatedly say thing, I never had none of this wrong with me till this accident and monique hill in claims says none of my injuries nor my family problems have nothing to do with general motors and I didn't hit sensors, I never had a seatbelt on but if that was the case that ding sound wouldn't have stopped! …
Takata recall, early morning, my power steering stopped working, so I filled it and it started working again, as I was driving down a busy road turning onto my own street, the power steering and brakes failed resulting in me crashing into a pole, and the air bags did not deploy and the seatbelt did not lock, so I flew into the steering wheel, breaking my hand. The damage was so severe it was considered totaled.
While proceeding to take a left turn after coming to a stop at a t intersection both driver and passenger side curtain airbags deployed on their own. This scared my wife to death! It caused her to bump the curb with one if the tires only, no accident. Thankfully she was off work and the kids were already at school and not with her at the time! I called GM immediately and reported this. An investigation was conducted and lasted about 2 months. I was informed that the findings were confidential and that they would not be repairing my vehicle! You have got to be kidding me. My wife suffered a minor head injury, scare of her life not to mention we were not provided with a rental, communications were poor at best with our car worker at GM. She was even out sick for a week, it took me 4 days for someone to finally tell me that. …
Tl* - the contact owns a 2005 gms Envoy. In mid February 2007 the contact's vehicle was involved in a head on collision while driving at 35 MPH. The contact drove into a tree due to icy road conditions. None of the air bags deployed. There were no passengers in the vehicle. The contact was wearing a seat belt. There were no warning indicator lights on the dashboard before or after the crash. The vehicle was towed to a the dealer, and the insurance company advised the contact that the vehicle was totaled. The contact had requested that the manufacturer issue a computer read out indicating why the air bags didn't deploy. The dealer sent the contact prior to the collision a diagnostic email stating the vehicle was operating normally. A police report was taken. The current and failure mileage were both 25000.
Severe car crash with my leased 2005 GMC Envoy. Much side and front damage occured, but air bags did not deploy. GMC will be sending someone from the protection allegation department to perform a diagnostic test on the air bags within the next 14 days. The accident occured on 4/22/05. I do not want the vehicle repaired and given back to me for the following 2 reasons: the vehicle incurred (in my opinion, police report, allstate insurance co., sterling auto body repai shop) etc ... Extensive damage. The 2nd reason is the airbags, as stated, did not deploy. If anyone were to be seated in the passenger seat, they would have been seriously hurt. I have readily at my disposal any and all additional info. Which I will gladly submit when necessary.
On September 16th, 2011, I was involved in an auto accident that was a head on crash. The air bags never deployed and I sustained back injuries. On site of the accident my back was hurting some but did not go to hospital until later that evening, after the adrenalin and the shock wore off. I now have sever back problems with a lot of pain and was declared disabled in 2012. At the time of doing research I was told by on-star, which never came on, that if my air bags didn't deploy they wouldn't come on.. But, the frame was bent so bad that they totaled the vehicle, with a lot of other damage. The whole front was damaged, the bumper was destroyed along with damage to the motor. And we could not understand why the air bags did not deploy.
My vehicle when purchased was altered from cloth seats to leather by the dealership where purchased. 3 days ago my car is signaling me to service airbag while driving the car or in idle. So I immediately took it to a certified mechanic at meineke and was told that this is a manufacturer defect and there is a recall for this on my year, make & model SUV. I called GM on 11/29/2019 and was told by a supervisor named angel there has been no recalls by their manufacturer and there is nothing more she can do about the matter. I cannot drive my car like this knowing this can be potentially harmful and hazardous.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
Remedy: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (GM) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in GM's letter to…
Airbag complaints in other Envoy years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2005 GMC Envoy?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 GMC Envoy, 6% of the model year's 488 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 GMC Envoy airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 06V-417 (frontal, Oct 31, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 GMC Envoy airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 15 crashes, 0 fires and 20 injuries and 2 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.