Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Oct 10, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 204 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Airbags
Filed Oct 10, 2014
ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING ONE DAY THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY AT ANY TIME AND NOT WORK IF WE WHERE IN A CRASH. I CALLED GM ABOUT THE ISSUE AFTER LOOKING ON LINE AND REALIZING MY TRUCK WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT PAY TO FIX IT AS THERE IS NO RECALL. THE TRUCK WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS LOWER MILEAGE THEN ALLOWED. THIS IS DEFINITELY AND ISSUE. IT IS SUPPOSEDLY A MODULE UNDER THE FRONT SEAT OR WHEREVER IT IS LOCATED, AS SOME TRUCKS IT IS DIFFERENT PLACES. THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10643870
Incident
Oct 1, 2014
Mileage
119,400 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 5, 2014
THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WOULD BE A LOW THUMP THUMP SOUND EMANATING FROM THE AUDIO SPEAKERS. THE LOCK DOOR CHIMES STOPPED SOUNDING. *TR
NHTSA ID
10641488
Incident
Mar 28, 2012
Mileage
81,416 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 22, 2014
THE FIX AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED ON DRIVERS INFORMATION PANEL. THIS WARNING MEANS THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. GM IS FULLY AWARE THAT THE 2003 AIRBAG SYSTEM HAS FAULTY WIRING CONNECTORS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOOT PANEL BUT NEVER RECALLED THIS VEHICLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD, THEY PUBLISHED A TECH BULLETIN EXPLAINING HOW TO FIX THE FAULTY WIRING. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE FAULTY AIRBAG SYSTEM WIRING AT THEIR COST. MANY CONSUMERS THAT OWN AVALANCHE 2003 SUV ' S HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAFETY PROBLEM BUT DENIED RECOVERY FROM GM. RECALL OF ALL AFFECTED AVALANCHE 2003 MODELS SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10584334
Incident
Jan 25, 2012
Mileage
1,166,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 14, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,000.
NHTSA ID
10451608
Incident
Mar 10, 2012
Mileage
107,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 28, 2012
AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS SHOWING UP EVERY COUPLE DAYS THEN IT DISAPPEARS I BELIEVE GM IS AWARE BUT WILL NOT FIX. *TR
NHTSA ID
10449648
Incident
Feb 2, 2012
Mileage
136,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 7, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS NOT WORKING BECAUSE THE MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THERE WAS ALSO TOO MUCH COMPRESSION IN THE AIR BAGS, WHICH CAUSED THE WARNING INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE AND THE CONTACT BELIEVES IT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT; THEREFORE, IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,228. UPDATED 11/14/08 *CN UPDATED 11/19/08. *JB
NHTSA ID
10244624
Incident
Sep 1, 2008
Mileage
78,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 28, 2007
Crash reported
TRAVELING AT 55 MPH AND REAR-ENDED A TOWED VEHICLE WITHOUT LIGHTS. DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
NHTSA ID
10213056
Incident
Dec 7, 2007
Mileage
149,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 1, 2006
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENLY. BECAUSE THIS IS RELATED TO ONE OF THE VEHICLES SAFTEY FEATURES IT SEEMS LIKE THE TSB (050941001) FOR THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT A COMMITMENT FROM THE OWNER TO PAY FOR A DIAGOSTIC CHECK AND THEN FIGHT THEM TO PAY. *NM
NHTSA ID
10156501
Incident
Jan 1, 2006
Mileage
45,500 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 21, 2005
THIS CONCERNING MY 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE WITH 47,987 MILES. THE "SERVICE AIRBAG" STAYS ON AFTER IGNITION ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME. ADDITIONALLY ON TRIPS OF OVER 15 MINUTES IT WILL COME ON DURING DRIVING. ONCE THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON IT STAYS ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET ASSISTANCE CENTER AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC WORK UP BEFORE THEY WOULD CONSIDER COVERING THE COSTS ON FIXING THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM, DESPITE THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES BEING VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT QUESTION. *JB
NHTSA ID
10145801
Incident
Dec 19, 2005
Mileage
45,500 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 20, 2005
Crash reported3 injuries reported
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH HE STRUCK A MEDIAN HEAD ON AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THREE PEOPLE SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
10145733
Incident
Nov 20, 2005
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureHeating & air conditioning+1 more
Filed Dec 7, 2004
AIR BAGS DO NOT WORK. AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE IS BEING TAKEN TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPAIR.*AK THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THE POWER STEERING MADE A SQUEALING NOISE. THE RUNNING BOARDS FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNK IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE 4X4 LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A FLUID LEAK IN THE ENGINE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER 7.5 MONTHS OF HAVING REPAIRS DONE ON HIS VEHICLE THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO CLASSIFY IT UNDER THE LEMON LAW. *TC
NHTSA ID
10099700
Incident
Jun 1, 2004
Mileage
5,955 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 9, 2004
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. *JB *SC
NHTSA ID
10096743
Incident
Sep 7, 2004
Mileage
35,600 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 6, 2004
WHILE PARKING PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ID
10053419
Airbags
Filed Sep 25, 2003
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, ROLLED OVER TWICE AND HIT A TREE. NEITHER SIDE NOR FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR POLICE REPORT. *NLM
NHTSA ID
10040666
Incident
Sep 25, 2003
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own