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 2009 Pontiac G8 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac G8. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that the front passenger's side airbag sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V534000 (Air Bags) however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
The contact owns a 2009 PONTIAC G8. The contact stated that at start-up, the airbag default warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact proceeded to drive and noticed that the light was no longer on the instrument panel. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac G8. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he noticed that the airbag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the airbag warning light remained illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
A month ago my passenger air bag light came on indicating there is an issue with the Passenger Air Bag system. This occurs even when there is no one in the passenger seat. This completely disables the airbag system in my car for my passengers and I can no longer reliably transport other passengers for fear of getting into an accident and the air bag not deploying. These parts are not normal mechanical pieces that wear and tear over the course of the cars life, and with a quote from the dealership of almost $1000.00 it is unreasonable for me to pay as this is a HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, not only to passengers but to myself as I am unsure if this will effect the Drivers Air Bag System. I dont think its fair that with the car only being 12 years old that I should have to pay and replace a faulty air bag system, when this is a common issue with the 2009 Pontiac G8. …
My vehicle was at a complete stop when we were struck from behind by a vehicle traveling at approximately 50 MPH. The air bags did not deploy; instead, I received an "airbag fault" light and audible signal and the car filled with black smoke. Thankfully, no one was injured in the accident. But if it had been a head-on collision and the air bags failed, I May not be here today to type this safety complaint. I read that many g8s were recalled for air bag faults, but mine was never on the list.
Tl* the contact owned a 2009 Pontiac G8. While driving 52 MPH, the contact crashed into the rear passenger side bumper of a vehicle that failed to yield. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the spine, ankles, neck, and right shoulder, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.
While driving car on highway it started showing air bag fault warning on the center console screen and corresponding light came on. Consulted with local GM dealership and diagnosis indicated need to replace the "passenger presence module". The cost quoted by GM dealership is $855 (total), for parts and labor. This fault disables the air bag system (passenger air bags for sure, I am not sure about driver air bag system) this is a safety critical component that should not fail as it disables the air bag system which could be life threatening in an accident. It is my request to the NHTSA that this air bag fault and passenger presence module failure should be considered for a recall, as this is a costly repair and is not a mechanical component which wears and tears over the life of the vehicle, additionally it is absolutely required for the safety of the vehicle occupants.
While driving car on highway it started showing air bag fault warning on the center console screen and corresponding light came on. Consulted with local GM dealership and diagnosis indicated need to replace the "passenger presence module". The cost quoted by GM dealership is $855 (total), for parts and labor. This fault disables the air bag system (passenger air bags for sure, I am not sure about driver air bag system) this is a safety critical component that should not fail as it disables the air bag system which could be life threatening in an accident. It is my request to the NHTSA that this air bag fault and passenger presence module failure should be considered for a recall, as this is a costly repair and is not a mechanical component which wears and tears over the life of the vehicle, additionally it is absolutely required for the safety of the vehicle occupants.
Went to start my vehicle yesterday, and soundly an airbag failure showed up in the driver info center. Went online and this make and model has tons of other vehicles with the same issue, and they want to charge consumers a large amount of money to fix something that has never been used in my vehicle. They are trying to avoid the recall as it will cost them. This is straight unfair that they source cheap modules, and when failure occurs, sometimes multiple times after factory replacement of new sensors and modules, they stick it on the consumer. Can you please help us consumers as this is not an isolated incident, and now I have no airbags in my vehicle because I cannot afford the amount they want to fix the module. Please help us consumers and make them take responsibility for their decisions. Thank you
Air bag fault warning on my hud, along with the corresponding light, comes on when it gets cold out. Every time it gets below about 35 degrees this light will come on and disable all of my air bags. This has happened ever since I have owned this car. I have consulted with my local GM dealership and the diagnosis indicated to replace the "passenger presence module". This fault disables the entire air bag system which is a safety critical component that should not fail as it disables the air bag system which could/would be life threatening in an accident. The air bag fault/passenger presence module failure should be considered for a recall, as this is not a mechanical component which is considered wear and tear over the life of the vehicle. This is absolutely required for the safety of all vehicle occupants.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Pontiac g8 vehicles manufactured from November 2, 2007 through January 22, 2009. A 5th percentile female anthropomorphic test device (atd) in a 30 MPH frontal barrier test exceeded the head injury criteria (hic) requirements of the standard.
Remedy: GM dealers will reprogram the sensing and diagnostic module free of charge. The safety recall began on November 30, 2011. Owners May contact Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Airbag complaints in other G8 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2009 Pontiac G8?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the air bags of the 2009 Pontiac G8, 48% of the model year's 144 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › sensor/control module (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Pontiac G8 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-534 (sensor/control module-inactive, Nov 4, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Pontiac G8 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 4 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.