Problems · by component
1996 Chevrolet Blazer air bags problems
56 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer cite air bags, 5% of all 1,161 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
56
5% of all complaints
Crashes
48
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
35
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“DRIVING APPROX. 35 MPH NORTH ON 5700 BLK OF TACONY ST PHILADELPHIA PA 19137, 2005 SILVER HONDA PULLS OUT OF DRIVE WAY HITS THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER TIRE OF TRUCK, TRUCK THEN SPINS AND FLIPS OVER. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT ALL SUSTAINED INJURIES. WAS TAKEN BY RESCUE TO HOSPITAL.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD PERFORMED AS DESIGNED BASED ON THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.”
“I OWN A 1996 CHEVY BLAZER. MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IN WET WEATHER, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SLAMMED INTO A ROCK CLIFF. THE CAR IS TOTALED AND I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I BELIEVE THE IMPACT WAS STRONG ENOUGH THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. IT WAS A FRONT END COLLISION AND SHE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES PER HOUR. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS NOT GOING FAST, THE IMPACT WAS VERY HARD, ENOUGH TO TOTAL THE CAR. THE WHOLE FRONT END WAS DESTROYED. SHE WAS VERY LUCKY THAT SHE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IF IT HAD BEEN A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAT SHE COULD HAVE BEEN FATALLY WOUNDED IF THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*JB”
“DT: CONTACT STATED DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST INCIDENTOCCURRED IN OCTOBER, 2003. CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN IT WAS HIT IN THE REAR END BY A VEHICLE GOING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG AS TO WHY IT DID NOT DEPLOY. ON THE SECOND OCCASION IN OCTOBER, 2004, CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR PART WHILE GOING ABOUT 40-45 MPH, BECAUSE THE BRAKES TO STOP HIS VEHICLE. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED IT WAS A MALFUNCTION IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AIRBAG PROBLEM, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT THE CAUSE FOR NON DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. *AK”
“DT: THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 40-45 MPH AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. FRONTAL IMPACT OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. IN WET CONDITIONS, THE BRAKES DID NOT GRAB AND THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM EVERY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND CAN NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE OF IT.*SB”
“DT: THE PROBLEM BEGAN IN MARCH 1996. THE VEHICLE HAS AN AIR BAG LIGHT THAT STAYS ON. HAD A FRONT END COLLISION IN OCTOBER 2004, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SPEED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WAS 45 MPH. NO AIRBAGS AT ALL DEPLOYED, VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ONLY. OCCUPANT WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY OR REPAIR THE AIR BAG LIGHT THAT STAYS ON. THERE ARE INVOICES.*AK”
Showing 6 of 56 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.