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 1996 Pontiac Grand AM owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
To avoid hitting another vehicle head on driver veered off the road and ran into a telephone pole. Upon impact, front air bags did not deploy. Driver's head cracked the windshield, causing the driver to be unconscious for about 45 minutes. Also, driver's teeth hit the steering wheel and cracked. In addition, driver's right arm, right knee, and neck were injured. Once driver regained consciousness he drove to the emergency room because no one stopped to help.
I was traveling along the highway going exactly 60 MPH when something popped causing me to lose control of my vehicle ( all passengers were in seat belts) we slid down a ditch hitting a light pole causing the vehicle to come to a stop neither the driver or the passenger bag deployed. We were traveling at a high rate of speed and the air bags malfunctioned causing my fiance to hit her head on the dash.
I was driving down hiway the car died I turned it to the right to get off the hiway and the airbag on drivers side exploded, I had the car towed and was told the pass key system or theft system went bad in ignition switch and no explanation why air bag went off? Or how to fix any of it, this is now July and I AM still having problems.
Tl - the contact owns a 1996 Pontiac Grand AM . The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH the air bags deployed without any explanation. He also mentioned that the air bag itself had burn marks. The dealer nor the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 180,000. Pm
I was driving on the expressway at 70 MPH and without warning, my driverside airbag deployed. I was in shock and had temporary hearing loss. Both of my lips were bloodied, I was burned on my neck and I still have ocassional ringing in my ears. I don't know how, but when my line of vision was clear, I saw I had maintained the position in my lane and continued traveling. Then, a few minutes later, my passenger- side airbag deployed without warning. Thankfully, my girlfriend was sleeping in the backseat. Again I had temporary hearing loss, but kept driving until I got to my home. I contacted general motors dealership, but they did not feel they could help since they had not heard of this problem. There were a series of phone calls between general motors, my dad and me. …
06/05 water under the dash made me think the windshield was leaking-an auto glass dealer determined it was not leaking and agreed to take out the carpet-he discovered the firewall was not sealed properly from the factory- I paid him to seal it & dry & replace the carpet...09/07 I had problems with the all the alarm lights on the dash coming on---after turning off &restarting the car--the only light left on was the air bag light----06/17/08 I received an 'owner manual supplement' to add to my owners manual telling me the "air bag controller" May or May not deploy in a crash or even without warning....this is a design defect ...there are 1000's of the these time bombs going down the same highways we are traveling-GM needs to issue a recall & replace these---GM is not able to notify every owner of this problem after 12 years-people are driving these vehicles 60 and 70 miles an hour down …
I was going to work and started my car. The airbag on the drivers side exploded, knocking me back into the seat, knocking off my glasses and name tag, loosened 2 teeth, gave me abrasions to face, filled the car with smoke and knocked me unconscious for a few moments. I was not in gear at the time and was not traveling down the highway (which is a good thing because I could have been in a terrible accident), I was just sitting in my driveway. I have contacted my dealer and was told there was nothing to be done about this, no recalls, nothing. It is too expensive for me to replace and cannot drive my car anymore. I want the airbag replaced at no cost to me because I believe it is manufactures defect. Other than a few problems with the lights and air conditioning not working I have loved this car and would still be driving it if I could get the airbag replaced free. …
I was driving in my subdivision about three weeks ago, when suddenly the driver's side airbag in my 1996 Pontiac Grand AM went off. I immediately pulled over, turned on the emergency lights, and my fiance and I got out of the car. About thirty seconds later, the passenger side air bag goes off. I was very fortunate that this did not occur on a main road or on the freeway because someone could have been seriously hurt. My fiance's mother and I have been in contact with general motors for about two weeks now. They have not been very helpful with my situation, and as of right now, I will probably have to pay for the repairs out of pocket, even though there was no accident, and I AM not to blame for this. I have read similar cases on the internet, and this May be due to a corroded wire in the air bag system. …
I had just turned my car on and put it in reverse to back out of a parking spot. I only moved about two inches backwards, not even going over 5 MPH, when the air bag randomly deployed without warning. It hit me on the left side of my head/neck, chest, and arm resulting in cuts, burns, and bruises in those areas. My left ear started ringing and I momentarily lost hearing on that side. I did not hit anything with my vehicle nor did something hit me. My car did not even leave the parking spot before this incident occurred. After I gained composure and realized what had just happened, I made my way out of the car and a man who witnessed everything walked me to the fire department near by. My cuts were tended to and I was transported to the hospital by ambulance for further treatment and examining.
Tl*- the contact owns a 1996 Pontiac Grand AM. Three of the customers children while driving at 25 MPH the driver side and passenger side air bags deployed without warning. No warning lights illuminated before or after they deployed. The driver sustained bruises and some abrasions from the air bag , including a minor injury to his eye when a piece of plastic popped off. GMC offered the contact $3,000 for the vehicle, and stated that they would assume liability. However, they were unable to diagnose the failure. The current and failure mileage were 95,000. The consumer stated that her daughter also sustained minor burns and injuries. Updated 10/16/07
NHTSA investigations
Oversensitive air bag deployments
On June 26, 1998, general motors begain a safety recall, 98v-146, to recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (sdm) in the 1996 and some 1997 j body cars, cavalier and sunfire.due to certain calibrations in the air bag sdm, there is an increased risk of inadvertent air bag deployment in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.the recall population consists of 675,302 vehicles built…
Airbag complaints in other Grand AM years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM?
NHTSA has 104 complaints about the air bags of the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM, 23% of the model year's 450 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (63 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Pontiac Grand AM airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM, though it has 4 recalls 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 1996 Pontiac Grand AM airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 20 crashes, 2 fires and 54 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.