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 2008 Saturn Sky owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Sky. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the module kit, the OCS sensor, and the four retainers were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V061000 (Air Bags); however, the vehicle had experienced the failure stated in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Had recall# 17036 performed for PPS system and dealer could not clear fault codes after adding tape to the PPS seat. Why will the dealer not complete the recall by making sure the faults are no longer present. 1- 004A-00 Communication fault 2- 0033-00 Internal electronic performance 1 3- 0031-00 Internal electronic performance 2 4- 0039-00 Internal electronic performance 1 5- 0034-00 Internal electronic performance 1 6- 0059-00 Preload failure region 1
the passenger seat air bag sensor was recalled. I took the car to dealer and they said they fixed the recall. now 3 years later, if a passenger sits in the seat the light comes on saying air bag sensor is ON one second later the light says the air bag sensor is OFF and the red air bag light in the dash comes on. -Should GM be responsible to repair it again at no charge ?
Saturn SKY - Passenger presence system (PPS) Knapp Chevy claimed to have fixed Completed: 2020-10-31, but warning lights appeared and took the car in to check. Now, this issue is not covered and requires a 1200 dollar charge, which should be covered in the recall.
Was rear ended at high rate of speed then hard impact on front end while I was stopped--no deployment of my air bags--5 car accident other car air bags deployed, was on a highway. Ignition switch replaced prior to accident per recall. Accident and police reports were filed,
The air bag warning light is on at all times and "service air bag" appears in the driver information center and must be cleared after each start. The issue has been determined to be a faulty passenger presence sensor located in the bottom of the passenger seat. This has now rendered the passenger airbag inoperative at all times and possibly affects the safe operation of the entire SRS system. After doing some research online, this is a very, very common problem with the Saturn skys and Pontiac solstices. It is very expensive to fix (around $800-$1000 for parts and labor) and apparently the replacement part has an equally short life expectancy and seems to develop the exact same problem for most of those that have replaced it thus far (according to research done online). …
The airbag light illuminated indicating an issue with the sensor in the passenger presence system. I had the car examined by the dealer who diagnosed a problem with the passenger presence system. The car has approximately 46K miles and at the time of the light illuminating had approximately 38K miles. The dealer stated that because the car is out of warranty, I am responsible for the cost of the repair. I elevated the issue to GM corporate who stated that they would not repair the vehicle at their cost but offered me a $1000 GM loyalty credit towards the purchase of a new vehicle. I was told that the pps defect disables the passenger airbag. This is a safety issue as it May result in a serious injury or loss of life should the airbag not deploy in an accident. The ignition switch was replaced under the recall for similar risks. …
My wife and I had picked up our 2008 Saturn Sky from the dealer and were about half way home , a 28 mile trip each way, when a chime went off and said that the passenger's air bag had been turned off and my info screen that had been showing me the coolant temperature was now saying ''service airbag'' . Long story short , GM dealer wants over $1,00.00 to fix. Over $500.00 of that is just for the switch ! After spending over 6 hours researching this problem on the internet it seems that this has happened to thousands of Sky and solstice car owners plus all kinds of other models and brands , a lot of them fixed free of charge after a recall was issued. Recall for the 2003-2007 Cadillac cts for the same issue... Nissan murano and the list goes on. …
Takata recall-I called my local dealership to have the recall repaired in May 2017. I was told the parts were in and was allowed to make an appointment. I took my vehicle in as scheduled, waited in the waiting room about 10-15 minutes to be told they "made a mistake" and the parts weren't available yet. I gave them my phone number for them to call when the parts were in and have not heard from them yet. Since then I have received 2 notices regarding the recall. I have called again (6 months later) and now they are saying the car was repaired. I was also told the recall was closed "manually." the recall should not have been closed because repairs were not made to the vehicle. Again they are going to call me back. This has been a complete waste of my time because I have to take a day off work to get the issue resolved. The dealership in question is wakefield Buick GMC in spartanburg, sc
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Saturn Sky. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated and remained lit, which was a safety concern. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 17V061000(air bags) by conklin Chevrolet salina (2700 s 9th st, salina, ks 67401). The manufacturer was notified and stated that GMC would cover the remedy; however, the parts were unavailable. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. * consumer stated with regard to the complaint ref. #11123833 and paperwork/ questionnaire, I have called the vsh hotline today (ref.1272456) to report that the repair was completed on my vehicle 9/18/2018 and the charges made the dealership refunded. Updated 10/26/18
Related recalls
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. The Passenger Air Bag Suppression System (PPS) sensor may become bent or damaged within the front passenger seat, possibly disabling the front passenger air bag.
Remedy: The remedy for this recall is still under development. A permanent remedy is currently under development. The recall began February 26, 2018.
Air bags
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect.
NHTSA investigations
Passenger Sensing System Sensor Mat
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting the opening of an investigation into the air bag system on model year 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky, the subject vehicles.The petitioner raised the issue of failure of the Passenger Sensing System for the front passenger seating position.On January 26, 2017, General Motors filed a defect information report recalling the…
Airbag complaints in other Sky years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Saturn Sky?
NHTSA has 94 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Saturn Sky, 51% of the model year's 186 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Saturn Sky airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-061 (occupant classification, Jan 26, 2017); NHTSA recall 14V-047 (air bags, Feb 10, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Saturn Sky airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 5 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.