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Problems · by component

2009 Pontiac Vibe air bags problems

352 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Pontiac Vibe cite air bags, 67% of all 528 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 4 recalls on this component.

All 2009 Vibe problems
Complaints
352
67% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2024Air bags, Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11597438
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2023Electrical system, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 11535214
“MY VEHICLE WAS TURNED IN FOR THE AIRBAG RECALL. WE RECEIVED A CALL SAYING IT WAS DONE. WE ARE STILL RECEIVING NOTICES FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT WE DROPPED THE CAR OFF TO GET IT COMPLETED AND PENDOT STATING THE RECALL HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2020Air bagsODI 11327507
“GM IS GREAT AT SENDING OUT LETTERS TO GET THE AIRBAG PROBLEM FIXED, BUT THE GM DEALERSHIPS DON'T SEEM SO WILLING TO DO THE WORK. I CONTACTED FELDMAN CHEVROLET A FEW WEEKS AGO TO GET IT FIXED. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO ORDER PARTS, THEN THEY WOULD CALL ME TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR. I NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2019Air bagsODI 11174970
“TAKATA RECALL. MY RECALL WAS COMPLETED. HOWEVER, WHEN I PICKED MY CAR UP AFTER THE REPAIR, MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. I PICKED IT UP AT CLOSE AND NOTICED THE LIGHT WAS ONE WHEN I GOT TO THE LIGHT BASICALLY NEXT DOOR FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I CALLED IMMEDIATELY AS I COULDN'T TURN AROUND AS THEY HAD CLOSED. I LEFT A MESSAGE FOR JEREMY WHO TOOK CARE OF THE PAPERWORK LESS THAN 5 MINS AFTER LEAVING. NO RETURN CALL. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT WEEK AS LEFT A MESSAGE FOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. STILL NO RETURN CALL. I DON'T KNOW IF MY RECALL WAS ACTUALLY COMPLETED CORRECTLY AS THE LIGHT IS STILL ON. AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE CHECKED MY CAR'S COMPUTER AND CONFIRMED THE LIGHT IS ON DUE TO THE AIRBAG. I JUST WANT THE LIGHT OFF AND TO KNOW THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED CORRECTLY. I'VE TRIED CALLING SINCE, BUT I ALWAYS GET VOICEMAIL AND WELL THEY NEVER RETURNED CALLS EVEN WHEN I TRIED TO SCHEDULE THE INITIAL RECALL REPAIR. RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY COYLE CHEVROLET IN CLARKSVILLE INDIANA. HOWEVER IT WASN'T DONE CORRECTLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2019Air bagsODI 11173185
“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? THE DEALERSHIPS ARE KING BUICK GMC, 16200 FREDERICK ROAD, ROCKVILLE, MD 20877 (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR), AND CRISWELL AUTOMOTIVE, 503 QUINCE ORCHARD ROAD, GAITHERSBURG (THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE WAIVER FOR DAMAGE). PLEASE ADVISE HOW I CAN GET THIS RECALL FIXED WITHOUT PAYING FOR FURTHER DAMAGES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2018Air bagsODI 11155460

Showing 6 of 352 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

4 recalls on this component

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP (Saipan), and the U.S. VI or "Zone A." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, ES350, IS-F, GX460, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Toyota is also recalling certain 2009 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Lexus IS250, IS350, ES350, IS-F, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles ever registered in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2018NHTSA 18V024000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2017NHTSA 17V006000

Air bags: inflator module

Remedy pending

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2007-2008 Toyota Yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350 and 2007-2008 Lexus ES350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles of these model years and models that were not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported May 23, 2016NHTSA 16V340000

Air bags: inflator module

Remedy pending

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). Due to the shape and location of the FFC's retainer, the FFC could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.

Air bagsReported Apr 9, 2014NHTSA 14V168000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

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