Problems · by component

2002 GMC Envoy air bags problems

46 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 GMC Envoy cite air bags, 8% of all 570 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
46
8% of all complaints
Crashes
31
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
34
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND HIT ON BROADSIDE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER FRONT CORNER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF. THEY SAY SERVICE SOON. THE SEAT BELT HURT ME AS WELL. IT DID NOT LOCK. I WAS INJURED WITH A TORN LABRUM, BACK AND NECK INJURIES. HEAD TOO. I WAS MOVING AND I WAS HIT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THEN PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR. I WAS ON A CITY STREET. 14 MILE NEAR MOUNT 7-22”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2020Air bags, Seat belts, StructureCrash reportedODI 11352195
“THE STEERING IS A LITTLE SPORADIC AT SPEEDS 70 OR HIGHER OR CHACHI.THERE IS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING MECHANISM YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT WITH BOTH HANDS TO TRY TO GET SOME TYPE OF CORRECTION IN THE IN THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. I CAN'T UPLOAD PHOTOGRAPHS OR SOMETHING I I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 19, 2019Air bags, Seats, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11290129
“I WAS ON MY WAY HOME ON HWY/US 151 GOING APPROX. 55-60 MPH (65 MPH ZONE) WHEN I HIT A DEER WHICH CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND SLAMMED INTO THE START OF A GUARDRAIL AT NO LESS THAN 45 MPH BRINGING MY 2002 GMC ENVOY TO A COMPLETE STOP, AT MOST 2-3 FEET FROM INITIAL IMPACT TO BE EXACT. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FRONT DASH NOR SIDE IMPACT BAGS, NOTHING. N I HIT HARD. LUCKILY I WASN'T SERIOUSLY INJURED ONLY MINOR BRUISING AND QUITE SORE FROM WHIPLASH AND BEING THROWN INTO THE DOOR AN A BIT SHAKEN N LUCKILY HAD NO PASSENGERS. AS FOR MY ENVOY, IT IS A TOTAL LOSS AND UNFORTUNATELY I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE SO NOW I'M SCREWED WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND AFTER ALL OTHER PROBLEMS I'VE FACED WITH MY GMC ENVOY I WILL NEVER OWN A GM AGAIN. TAKE GM PRODUCTS TO THE DUMP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11179980
“IN AN ACCIDENT ON I75 WHEN FORCED OFF ROAD INTO TREES AHD LARGE TREE DENT IN FRONT FENDER. AIRBAG IN FRONT NEVER DEPLOYED AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG HAD HOLES BLOWN IN IT THAT DAMAGED MY LEFT HAND AND ARMREST IMPACT CAUSED KIDNEY TO RUPTURE AND BLEED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10970689
“I AND MY PASSENGER WERE IN AN ACCIDENT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A VERY HARD FRONT END IMPACT, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WE WERE BOTH TRANSPORTED TO THE ER BY AMBULANCE, I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD SO HARD THAT IT BENT INWARDS AND BROKE MY NOSE ALSO HAD A CONCUSSION. HE WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND HIT THE FRONT DASH, WHERE THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED, HE BROKE HIS FRONT TEETH AND ALSO HAD A CONCUSSION. I'VE ALSO HAD MANY OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT EVERY OTHER 02 OR 03 ENVOY HAS YET MY VIN PULLS NO RECALLS. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED!!! THANKS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10723011
“MY SON (17) WAS COMING HOME AND CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED HIM TO CRASH NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS WERE INVOLVED AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY...HE WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND DIED FROM BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10667172

Showing 6 of 46 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags: frontal

Free remedy

CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.

Air bagsReported Aug 9, 2002NHTSA 02V222000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.