2008 GMC Sierra 1500 Seat belts Problems

I was driving down the highway at 70 mph, when there was a loud bang followed by a gun powder smell. My seatbelts went tight...hazard lights automatically came on...radio went dead...and the Airbag light came on. The pretensioners in both driver and passenger seats had deployed. I pulled over and shut the truck off, to get out and inspect it. There was no warning, and luckily I was composed enough to not wreck into anyone or anything. I see there have been a few similar incidents, so I'm glad this isn't just a solitary incident.

NHTSA ID

11726399

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

I was driving in a parking structure at low speed when a loud bang went off inside the cab. The hazard lights went off, there was an acrid electrical smell, and fine dust was coming from the steering wheel area. I stopped the truck and got out to look for a collision, but there was none. When I restarted the truck, the air bag light came on and I noticed that the seatbelts were retracted and no longer functional. I was not injured, but I believe that if this had happened in traffic or on the highway, I and my passenger could have been seriously hurt. The vehicle was towed to the GMC dealership, where they identified an error with the module that sends a signal to the airbags and seatbelts to deploy. Prior to this occurrence, I had no indication that the airbag/seatbelt system was faulty or in need of service.

NHTSA ID

11633611

Incident

Dec 30, 2024

Cranked my truck yesterday and put it in drive. Slowly drove about 300 feet and the pretensioner’s discharged in my seatbelts. I fortunately did not have it on yet, but the seatbelts are now unusable.

NHTSA ID

11503720

Incident

Jan 24, 2023

UNKNOWN. Front side passenger safety belt won't buckle, the latch appears to be blocking the buckle when in the open, unlatched position.

NHTSA ID

11498238

Incident

Dec 6, 2022

I started my 2008 GMC Sierra, crew cab and began to pull my drivers side seat belt across my body to latch it. I was about 1/2 way when I heard a loud bang that sounded like a gun going off to my right, the seat belt that I had in my hand pulled back tight pulling my hand with it. There was smoke and the smell of gun powder coming from the bottom of the passenger seat by the seat belt. With my heart pounding in my chest I got out of my truck as quickly as I could (my driver's side door was still open). Both the driver's side and passenger side seat belts were pulled tight and I was unable to get either to release. The truck is now sitting, unable to be driven safely with the seat belt on. The dealership said it would be just under $1,000 to fix plus towing and has no idea how or why it happened. This truck has never been in an accident and currently has about 140,000 mostly highway miles on it and I am the original owner. Searching online I found that there are other people on blogs who have had similar problems with exploding seat belt modules with a range of 40,000 miles to over 150,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11449143

Incident

Jan 10, 2022

I WAS SLOWLY GOING ACROSS A PARKING LOT WHEN A LOUD BANG LIKE A GUN SHOT HAPPENED AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT PULLED ME TIGHT AGAINST THE SEAT. THERE WAS A SMELL OF A CHEMICAL GAS IN THE CAB AND THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS CAME ON. I AM SURELY GLAD I WAS ONLY GOING A FEW MILES AN HOUR. NOW THE SEAT BELTS (BOTH SIDES) ARE LOCKED TIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THIS MIGHT NOT BE THAT RARE OF A PROBLEM BUT IT'S THE FIRST I'VE EVER HEARD OF IT.

NHTSA ID

11338419

Incident

Jul 9, 2020

Mileage

75,842 mi

MY HUSBAND WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE CONTACTED GMC THEY SENT SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE. THAT PERSON SAID DUE TO SOME WATER LEAKING IN ON THEM IS WHAT CAUSED IT. NOTHING WAS WET THOUGH. NOW THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. SEEMS LIKE IF THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE FRONT AIRBAGS IT IS A CHANCE THE SIDE ONES ARE ALSO BAD. THEY HANG LIKE CURTAINS. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT SINCE THE SEATBELTS LOCKED ALSO. THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE $6000. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS NO FAULT OF OURS. THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH TIME PUT INTO TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED. WE CANT E THE ONLY ONES THIS HAPPENED TO. SUGGESTION?

NHTSA ID

11176570

Incident

Jan 3, 2019

Mileage

187,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO FASTEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED SANDS CHEVROLET (16991 W WADDELL RD, SURPRISE, AZ 85388, (623) 428-1865) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000.

NHTSA ID

11162553

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

181,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING CLEANED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10881208

Incident

May 30, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY SERVICE MAN WAS PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT AT STORE WHEN AIR BAGS EXPLODED AND SEAT BELTS LOCKED. HE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIX IT. THEY SAID YES , BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. WE COULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER IF NECESSARY. THE BILL WAS $1413.89. (PARTS $798.00--LABOR 562.59 TAX 48.19). WE HAD TO GET IT FIXED AS IT IS ILLEGAL TO BE ON THE ROAD WITHOUT SEAT BELTS (OR AIR BAGS). WE FEEL THESE ARE DEFECTIVE PARTS AN D WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.. THIS IS AN UNSAFE VEHICHLE!!!! THANKS

NHTSA ID

10865216

Incident

Apr 26, 2016

Mileage

64,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK IN TO THE RECEIVER ON SIDE OF SEAT. DEALER SAID I MAY HAVE TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSES AND REPLACEMENT PLUS PARTS. I SAY IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED FOR FREE. WONDER IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692380

Incident

Feb 17, 2015

Mileage

46,000 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT DEPLOY WITHOUT A LOT OF EFFORT THE REAR SEAT BELT PASSENGER SIDE, MIDDLE SEAT - THE PLASTIC GUIDE BROKE OFF MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HOOK BELT TO CHILD SEAT PARK ASSIST IS NOT OPERATIONAL CRUISE CONTROL WORKS ONLY PART OF THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671586

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

84,000 mi