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 1995 Pontiac Bonneville owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Was driving down the road at 35 miles an hour, passenger side airbag spontaneously deployed, shattering the front windshield and tore up the dash board. Drivers side did not go off. Brought vehicle to a GM dealership to get an estimate for repair. Said they would look at it and wait to hear from GM in regards to coverage etc. In the meantime the dealership left the car out in the rain for a week causing water damage to the interior of the car. After many attempts to resolve with GM customer service, they replied a week later refusing to cover any costs in repair. Had to pay for a rental car for two weeks because dealership refused to provide one during interim. Now not only the cost of the windshield, dash and airbag to be covered, there is water damage to car, as well as possible electrical problem due to the water getting inside the dash board. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the air bags deployed inadvertently. As a result, the windshield became cracked. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,000. Updated 12/17/14 the consumer stated the manufacturer advised the failure was due to a corroded switch in the floor under the passenger seat. The manufacturer considered the failure poor maintenance. The consumer stated the rug was wet because the moonroof malfunctioned. Updated 9/29/2015
Airbag deployed while driving. Light came on and about 30 seconds later passenger bag went off and blew out the windshield. The insurance company fixed the window but are claiming that this is a mechanical defect and is not covered unless a rider is present on the policy. I feel this is a disclosure violation as I would have had that rider in tact. This vehicle still needs airbags and systems repaired. The driver side has been disconnected to allow for the vehicle to be driven as the insurance company has halted the rental car and are dragging there feet getting an agent to the house to look at the vehicle.
Driver side air bag deployed when car was started, not even in gear, a minute or so later the passenger bag deployed shattering the windshield. I contacted GM to find out why. GM had me at my expense tow the car to a dealership to have their inspector investigate. The investigation showed that water had damaged the wiring in the module that controls the air bags. GM concluded that it was a manufacture defect and offered to assist by repurchasing my vehicle at aprox 1/3 its currant market value! They refuse to give me any of the paperwork and I am very angry!!! My car is a complete loss.
While driving 35 MPH, the front passenger air bag inadvertently deployed, causing smoke to come from the air bag and shattered the front windshield and damaged the dash. The consumer managed to pull over to air the vehicle out and then continued to their destination. The dealership has been notified and the problem was not resolved. The dealer would not cover the repair cost due to the vehicle being out of warranty. The service tech's could not check the driver's side without installing a passenger side airbag.
Tl contact owns a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville. While driving 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the front driver side air bag deployed. The contact lost control of the vehicle momentarily, but was able to regain control. The contact injured her left hand. The failure was reported to the manufacturer and they stated that she would receive a call back from GMC within 48 hours. The vehicle will be taken to the dealer for a diagnosis. The current and failure mileages were 133,060.
The driver side airbag went off in my 1995 Bonneville while driving down the road at about 60 MPH. GM said they would replace the airbag.but they will not warranty the new bag. There seems to be a problem with these cars taking on water somwhere which then gets to the airbag sensor under the passenger seat.this causes the sensor to get corroded and become faulty. I'd like to know what my options are for dealing with GM on this matter.
Cruising on the mass. Turnpike at 68mph on a rainy night, the passenger air bag exploded for no reason. The bag shattered the windshield, blew the moonroof up and bent the rails. When shrapnel and dust settled, the driver bag went off. I've owned this car for 17 years and was never made aware of this problem that has been known about for some time.
My air bags deployed for no reason. I was stopped at the end of my driveway and all of the sudden the air bags exploded in my face. The windshield on the passenger side was shattered. My face got scratched and my hand got scratched. It scared the daylights out of me and there was no reason at all that they went off.
My 1995 Pontiac passenger side air bag deployed while my car was parked, with no impact! It caused extensive damage and when GM was contacted about the issue there reply was "to bad, its your problem, the car is more than 5 years old". If there had been a passenger there would have definitely been serious injury!
Airbag complaints in other Bonneville years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1995 Pontiac Bonneville?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the air bags of the 1995 Pontiac Bonneville, 14% of the model year's 244 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1995 Pontiac Bonneville airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1995 Pontiac Bonneville, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1995 Pontiac Bonneville airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 131,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 12 injuries 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.