2005 Pontiac Vibe Airbag Problems

Which parts fail

• Frontal › Sensor/control module
  2
• Frontal › Driver clockspring/spiral cassette
  2

Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  615%
• 25k–50k
  13%
• 50k–75k
  615%
• 75k–100k
  38%
• 100k–150k
  615%
• 150k+
  1845%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Pontiac Vibe owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed at a local dealer with air bag coil wire failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V168000 (Air Bags). The approximate failure mileage was 199,850.

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received a recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V883000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact to locate a different dealer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owned a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V883000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V285000 (Air Bags); and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.

Tl* Takata recall. The contact owned a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. While at a stop signal, the contact's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle. As a result, the contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. The passenger's and driver's air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a neck inquiry that required medical attention. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V286000 (air bags) on May 13, 2015. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 163,000. Updated 9/13/18

On feb 3 2014 I was in a car accident my air bag did not deploy causing me to have a herniated disk in my neck resulting in surgery to put a plate and screws in my neck I suffer from pain everyday from this.in my police report it states my air bag didnt deployi car was totaled.my car is on the recall.I was at a stop light got rear indeed and slamed it in vehicle in front of me totaling my car.I dont have excess to a scanner to send police report but I do have it if you need it.

Stopped at red light with a Dodge Ram 1500 in front of me. I was rear ended by a car (Toyota rav 4) going approximately 35 MPH. I did turn my steering wheel to try and get into the turn lane to avoid the collision but did not have enough time. The car rear ended me and then my car was pushed into the truck in front of me. My car sustained damage to both the front and back. My head hit the side window jam (between the windshield and door) and then my nose and mouth hit my steering wheel. I was wearing my seat belt but still my face was injured and my left leg hit the steering column. I do remember feeling a point during the collision that I flew in the air - having the feeling that I was flying. My seat belt caught and I was pushed back into the seat. My seat was not too close to the steering wheel while I was driving. …

I am filing a complaint about the front passenger airbag inflator recall (NHTSA recall # 15V285; GM recall # n140491), for which I received a letter yesterday. I am very disturbed to be told that, until the necessary replacement part is available, and with only the assurance that GM (and presumably Toyota) is "working as quickly as possible to correct this condition," I should not operate the car with the front passenger seat occupied. I find it disturbing and odd that the proscription only applies to the front passenger seat, even though the warning includes the statement that malfunction of the front passenger airbag could result in "metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants [including, presumably, me] potentially resulting in serious injury or death," I am also troubled that no advice or accommodation is made for those for whom not using the front passenger seat is not an …

This is in reference to a recall dated dec 12,2018 the manufacturer has failed to remedy this recall in a timely manner and since I cannot drive with a passenger in the front seat until it is remedied I am reporting this to NHTSA as recommended on the NHTSA website. Manufacturer recall numbern161644424 NHTSA recall number18v883 recall status: recall incomplete, remedy not yet available --- I have checked with GM customer service and there is still no fix for this problem - the NHTSA website states that until it is fixed no passenger should sit in the front passenger seat. I called customer service and requested that at least they install a newer airbag which would be safer than the older potentially degraded airbag. They do not choose to do that and still there is no fix for this passenger side airbag. …

As part of NHTSA recall #15V285, issued jul 24, 2014, GM recalled my Pontiac Vibe, informing me " these vehicles are equipped with a front passenger airbag inflator which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant.... Improperly manufactured propellant could cause the inflator to rupture and the front passenger airbag to deploy abnormally in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant." at the time, the recall status was " incomplete. Remedy not yet available". It has been months since the recall was issued, with no change in status or additional information being provided as to when our cars will be fixed. Is this actually a recall? Are these vehicles ever going to be repaired? I appreciate NHTSA's desire to warn drivers. …

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Airbag complaints in other Vibe years