2009 Pontiac Vibe Airbag Problems

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  24%
• 25k–50k
  713%
• 50k–75k
  713%
• 75k–100k
  1630%
• 100k–150k
  1528%
• 150k+
  611%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Pontiac Vibe owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Air bags failed to deploy and vehicle is not available for inspection. Vehicle was a total loss and is in the proces of becoming proprty of Copart.com for auction (I assume). I hit my head very hard from the T-bone type of collision and my side airbags did not deploy. I have a severe concussion and internal brain bleed. ICU stay was required. Problem was confirmed by the police report, etc. Nothing has been inspected to the best of my knowledge in any great detail (I assume). No warning lamps, messgaes, or other symptoms prior to the failure.

I been trying to get the recalls to be fix but both the dealers and GM haven't been able to help due to parts discontinued, I been trying to get this issued resolve for a year or so. I need help please, they just keep saying that all recalls on this vehicle don't have the parts for it and don't know what else to do.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. While driving between 50-55 MPH, the contact struck a deer. The driver's air bag failed to deploy, but the front passenger air bag deployed. The contact was not injured in the crash. The front seat passenger sustained minor burns and injuries from the air bag deployment, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle from the scene. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17V006000 (air bags). A local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000.

My daughter was rear ended while she was sitting at a stop by a large vehicle going 40+ MPH and was subsequently pushed into the back of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy on contact to or by any other vehicle. Due to there not being airbag deployment she suffered neck trauma and tendon damage to her shoulder.

I have received several notices and made several attempts to get my airbag recall repair completed, but I have been told several times by 2 different dealerships that they either could not get the part or that I would need to sign a disclaimer stating that any damage occurring while the recall repair was completed would be my responsibility. The reason given was that Pontiac went out of business and they would not be able to get replacement parts. I feel this is wrong and all costs to complete the recall and fix any damage should be GM's responsibility. This is an important safety recall for possible shrapnel coming thought the airbag when deployed. I do not feel safe allowing anyone to sit in the front passenger seat and if I resell the vehicle, then what happens? …

Takata recall: I believe its been about a year since the recall was announced. I have called the dealer several times but they always say the parts are not available. This is not a complaint about the dealer. It is about general motors. I have parked the car for a year but continue to pay license and insurance. If they can't get the parts, they should buy the cars back at the average nada/blue book value. Then, they can store the cars until the parts are available. I know that there have been millions of cars recalled; but GM should be responsible for getting them fixed in a timely manner. I believe they could get them manufactured by someone else or a variety of companies. They are protecting their earnings, stock price, and shareholders. They should be fined for every day that they drag this out. …

Sometimes when accelerating, it's slow to move, then a sudden jerk happens if I put pressure on the gas pedal. This happens when driving at lower speeds, I can be entering my garage or accelerating after a stop light or sign. Can be scary when it jerks during acceleration. The steering column is beginning to rattle and shake at about 45 miles sometime at lower speeds as well,a very rough ride on smooth pavement,feels like it's falling apart. The third issue has to do with the airbag indicator light staying on in both drivers and passenger sides while driving. When I went to dealer for an appointment it didn't happen but getting a diagnostic tomorrow for that. Bought the car used last year with about 37,000 miles,always serviced at the dealer where I purchased it. I now have a little over 53,000 miles on it at this time,just local diving.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. In addition the contact stated that when coming to a stop, the vehicle slid on black ice and crashed into a traffic sign. The contact stated that the front drivers side of the vehicle was damaged and that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and both the driver and passenger sustained minor injuries. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but the repairs were unknown. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign id number: (air bags). The approximate failure mileage was 12. Updated 02/24/2015

A recall notice on the air bag was issued in March 2017. It is now June 7, 2017 and Pontiac still has no resolution in place and has not distributed parts to the dealers to replace the airbags. This is unacceptable. I cannot use the passenger side of my car so I cannot drive my family or friends anywhere. I rented a car for a week or so around easter to take a 4 day trip with family, where I had to drive 800 or so miles round trip. Pontiac refused to reimburse this cost because it said it is only a recommendation that don't use the passenger side seat but if you call they they say you could die if in sit in that seat and have an accident. Which is it? They cannot have it both ways.

Takata recall - have owned this car since 2009 and was not aware of the problem until the beginning of this year. There is currently no fix to the problem and I have been told not to ride in the passenger seat. I have been riding in the passenger seat since 2009 and that response to the problem is totally inadequate. It's almost a year since the original notification and there is still no fix. Seems to me "don't ride in the passenger seat" is a euphemism for them trying to avoid lawsuits. I have not experienced an incident and hopefully will not in the future but I am hoping that the NHTSA might spur someone to come up with a solution to the problem.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Airbag complaints in other Vibe years