1996 Pontiac Grand AM airbag problems

AIR BAGS

I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIWAY THE CAR DIED I TURNED IT TO THE RIGHT TO GET OFF THE HIWAY AND THE AIRBAG ON DRIVERS SIDE EXPLODED, I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WAS TOLD THE PASS KEY SYSTEM OR THEFT SYSTEM WENT BAD IN IGNITION SWITCH AND NO EXPLANATION WHY AIR BAG WENT OFF? OR HOW TO FIX ANY OF IT, THIS IS NOW JULY AND I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #11003734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

I WAS LEAVING MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, HAD JUST BACKED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. STARTED MOVING FORWARD AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. NO BUMPS, NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. JUST DEPLOYED. STEERING WHEEL PARTS HIT MY ARM, BRUISED IT PRETTY WELL. HAVE SINCE PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10583887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE SENSOR WAS DISCONNECTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA complaint #10520656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED BY A DEALER OR MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL BACK THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE VEHICEL WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 230,000.

NHTSA complaint #10392395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH WHEN THE AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint #10348153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT HAD JUST PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE DRIVERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS THEN DRIVING AT 30MPH WHEN THE PASSENGERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A CRASH. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO INSPECT IT. AFTER THE INSPECTION WAS DONE THEY TOLD HIM THE WIRES WERE CORRODED WHICH CAUSED THE DEPLOYMENT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE AND THEY STATED THIS ISSUE CAN'T BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 185000.CV

NHTSA complaint #10344542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WRAP THE DEFLATED AIR BAG TO KEEP IT FROM OBSTRUCTING HIS VISION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 175,000.

NHTSA complaint #10323305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

I HAVE A 1996 PONITAC GRAND AM THAT HAS WATER IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. GM SENT A LETTER STATING THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE COULD DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS WITH WARNING WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT A CRASH OR WHEN THE KEY IS TURN ON. THIS HAS MANY COMPLAINTS BUT NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING. AS A AUTO TECH FOR MY OWN SAFETY AS WELL OF OTHERS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND OF THE EFFECTIVE YEARS OR 96-98 GRAND AMS. THEY SAID INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED ALREADY.

NHTSA complaint #10290142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS (NO IMPACT/CRASH, NO DAMAGE, ETC.) AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I LEARNED THAT IT COULD BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY CAR WAS WET (NOT FLOODED.) I SUFFERED BRUSH BURNS UP MY FOREARMS. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM PONTIAC STATING THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO RECALL AND IT IS UP TO THE OWNER TO FIX IT (AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE.) IF PONTIAC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND SENT OUT MILLIONS OF LETTERS, THEY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THE DAMAGES/REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #10267888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10267053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, WHICH STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UPDATE TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL REGARDING SPONTANEOUS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IF THE AIR BAG MODULE GETS WET. THREE WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. FOUR DAYS LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED IN DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE COMPANY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/16/08

NHTSA complaint #10236604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

THERE IS WATER ON ALL FOUR FLOORS OF MY CAR (FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER/BACK SEAT TWO BOTH PASSENGER SIDES). THE REAR LEFT FLOOR HAS PARTICULARLY HEAVY WATER SATURATION. MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ALSO STAYED ON FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. YESTERDAY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER ON THE 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM IS MOUNTED ABOVE THE FLOOR PAN BENEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, AND THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS EXPOSED TO SIGNIFICANT WATER ENTERING THE INTERIOR AND SOAKING THE CARPET, THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER CAN BE SOAKED AND DAMAGED. THE DAMAGED CONTROLLER CAN MAKE THE AIR BAGS DEFLATE, EVEN WITHOUT IMPACT OR CRASH. CONVERSELY, THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE CONTROLLER DAMAGE. THIS LETTER WAS SENT BY GM AS AN OWNER MANUAL SUPPLEMENT AND THEY WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT, NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. BECAUSE I AM UNEMPLOYED, I HAVE NO MONEY TO REPAIR THE CAR, AND AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. HENCE, I NOW HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS NO MONEY OR JOB. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. IF THEY ARE AWARE ENOUGH OF A PROBLEM AS TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS CAR, THEY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR REPAIRS TO A CAR THAT IS SATURATED WITH WATER.

NHTSA complaint #10231284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER YOU START THE CAR DUE TO AIR BAG CONTROLLER GETTING WET. IT IS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT.

NHTSA complaint #10231294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

06/05 WATER UNDER THE DASH MADE ME THINK THE WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING-AN AUTO GLASS DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS NOT LEAKING AND AGREED TO TAKE OUT THE CARPET-HE DISCOVERED THE FIREWALL WAS NOT SEALED PROPERLY FROM THE FACTORY- I PAID HIM TO SEAL IT & DRY & REPLACE THE CARPET...09/07 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ALL THE ALARM LIGHTS ON THE DASH COMING ON---AFTER TURNING OFF &RESTARTING THE CAR--THE ONLY LIGHT LEFT ON WAS THE AIR BAG LIGHT----06/17/08 I RECEIVED AN 'OWNER MANUAL SUPPLEMENT' TO ADD TO MY OWNERS MANUAL TELLING ME THE "AIR BAG CONTROLLER" MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH OR EVEN WITHOUT WARNING....THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT ...THERE ARE 1000'S OF THE THESE TIME BOMBS GOING DOWN THE SAME HIGHWAYS WE ARE TRAVELING-GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL & REPLACE THESE---GM IS NOT ABLE TO NOTIFY EVERY OWNER OF THIS PROBLEM AFTER 12 YEARS-PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES 60 AND 70 MILES AN HOUR DOWN THE HIGHWAYS & THEIR AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING--THE POTENTIAL FOR HORRIFIC ACCIDENTS EVEN DEATHS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE INEVITABLE-PLEASE FORCE GM TO TAKE RECALL NOT PRINT INSERTS FOR THE OWNERS MANUALS.

NHTSA complaint #10231361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH UPHILL, BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO NOTIFY THE DEALER DUE TO A WEEKEND SCHEDULE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT HER PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.

NHTSA complaint #10226624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.