Airbag complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns 2005 Pontiac Grand AM. The contact stated that while making a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle stalled after impact and no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained unknown injuries that required medical attention. It was unknown if a police report was filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 144,480.
I was driving on the highway at around 50 MPH when I needed to slow down due to the car in front of me slowing down. I pressed on the brakes and they did not seem to be working as they should. I had not had any problems with them in the past days and it seemed to come out of nowhere. The car did not stop because the brakes seemed to have completely shut down including the power break. So I hit the car in front of me and my car was totaled. Some weeks later I received a safety recall letter for my car (recall 14350). It states that if I have any weight added on to my key ring it might move my key from the "run" position. By that happening, many things will automatically shut down. One of them being the power brake. Which would increase the risk of of being involved in a crash, and in my case I was. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM. While the contact's daughter was driving and attempting to turn, the power steering failed without warning. The vehicle became difficult to steer and caused the driver to crash into a snowplow. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy and the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged. The driver did not receive any injuries. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system) after the failure occured. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
At 29,000 miles in 2006 the ignition would not turn. Car towed to authorized Pontiac dealer where I was told the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. The cost for the ignition cylinder was $327.00 I was struck by a utility truck while stopped at a red light in 2013 and the airbag did not deploy. At approximately 58,000 miles the car won't start.again towed to a Pontiac dealer. Told I need a new ignition cylinder for a cost of $447.82. Prior to this incident, when the key was turned the security light and airbag light would stay illuminated longer than usual. There has been a clicking sound coming from dashboard and at times while driving on a shifted level road (example: end of a highway ramp , backing out of an uneven driveway) the car has turned off. There has also at times been difficulty turning the steering wheel. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Pontiac Grand AM. The contact stated that there was a sudden loss of power and the steering wheel became extremely tight and difficult to turn. The contact applied force to the brake pedal which did not stop the vehicle, causing the contact to veer to the right and crash into a curb and then a stop sign. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was not inspected or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained head injuries and whiplash, which required medical attention. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system), but experienced the failure before the recall repair was performed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000. Updated 5/29/15 the consumer hit a curb then a fire hydrant. Updated 04/05/16.
I was driving along I-90 east going through south dakota. The weather was bad and the road was icy and very slick. There was an 18 wheeler that rolled over on the road and I did not see it until it was too late. There were about 10 cars in back of the truck and I could not stop. I had a head on collision with the back end of a 1 ton truck. It did not do any damage to the truck but it completely totaled my car. I hit the windshield with my head , left arm and hand. I suffered serious injuries and my head hit the windshield and cracked it the size of a grapefruit before the air bags deployed. They did not deploy until after I was seriously injured which is bs. I was taken to the hospital and an xray of my head was never done. They took an xray of my arm and hand and said I had a contusion. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the rear wheels seized. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and the rear driver side crashed into a curb, deflating the tire. The air bags failed to deploy. The ABS and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact did not sustain any injures that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 25,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Pontiac Grand AM. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle failed to stop. The contact rear ended another vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained chest and left knee injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent lot. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Pontiac Grand AM years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (104), 1999 (76), 1995 (46), 1997 (41) and 2000 (31) model years. Airbag complaints make up 23% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Pontiac Grand AM airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for any Pontiac Grand AM model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Pontiac Grand AM airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 111,000 miles; 17% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (222 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (10).
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.