Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Pontiac Bonneville submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 35 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.
The 25 most recent of 35, in the owner's own words
CRUISING ON THE MASS. TURNPIKE AT 68MPH ON A RAINY NIGHT, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG EXPLODED FOR NO REASON. THE BAG SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD, BLEW THE MOONROOF UP AND BENT THE RAILS. WHEN SHRAPNEL AND DUST SETTLED, THE DRIVER BAG WENT OFF. I'VE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 17 YEARS AND WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN KNOWN ABOUT FOR SOME TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE WINDSHIELD BECAME CRACKED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000. UPDATED 12/17/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A CORRODED SWITCH IN THE FLOOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE MANUFACTURER CONSIDERED THE FAILURE POOR MAINTENANCE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUG WAS WET BECAUSE THE MOONROOF MALFUNCTIONED. UPDATED 9/29/2015 *JS
DRIVING 1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT CRASH, VIOLENT EXPLOSION, DASH CAME APART, BREAKING AND BOWING OUT PASSENGER SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. PREGNANT PASSENGER WAS INJURED BY AIR BAG. *TR
MY AIR BAGS BLEW UP ON ME DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE RAIN AND PONTIAC SAID ITS A BAD SPOT ON THEE CAR AND THEY WANT TO BUY IT BACK FOR 600 FROM ME PLUS I HAVE 2500 IN CHIROPRACTOR BILLS AND A WINDOW TO REIMBURSE MY PARENTS THAT HELP ME I HAVE NO AIR BAGS AND I FILL SAFE WITH OUT THEM. *TR
DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN CAR WAS STARTED, NOT EVEN IN GEAR, A MINUTE OR SO LATER THE PASSENGER BAG DEPLOYED SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. I CONTACTED GM TO FIND OUT WHY. GM HAD ME AT MY EXPENSE TOW THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEIR INSPECTOR INVESTIGATE. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT WATER HAD DAMAGED THE WIRING IN THE MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE AIR BAGS. GM CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND OFFERED TO ASSIST BY REPURCHASING MY VEHICLE AT APROX 1/3 ITS CURRANT MARKET VALUE! THEY REFUSE TO GIVE ME ANY OF THE PAPERWORK AND I AM VERY ANGRY!!! MY CAR IS A COMPLETE LOSS. *TR
MY NEIGHBOR AND I WERE DRIVING ALONG.................WHEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, THE AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED FROM DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF MY PONTIAC BONNEVILLE SEDAN.........FRONT WINDSHIELD DAMAGED DUE TO AIR BAG BEING DEPLOYED. MUST BE REPLACED. NO INJURIES.........WE ARE SORE FROM THIS INCIDENT............HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT GENERAL MOTORS MUST KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY, BUT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE CONTACT INJURED HER LEFT HAND. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT SHE WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK FROM GMC WITHIN 48 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 133,060.
1) DEFECTIVE PRIMER CAUSING WHITE EXTERIOR PAINT TO PEEL ON THE WHOLE SURFACE OF CAR 2) LEAK IN WIELD AROUND WINDSHIELD AND REAR WINDOW CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTS IN POWER DOOR LOCKS AND ALSO AIRBAG MODULE UNDER DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *TR
WINDSHIELD AND REAR WINDOW SEALS LEAKING IN 1995 BONNEVILLE CORRODING AIRBAG SENSOR MODULE CONNECTIONS, RESULTING IN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WITHOUT ACCIDENT.*AK
MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. I WAS STOPPED AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED IN MY FACE. THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS SHATTERED. MY FACE GOT SCRATCHED AND MY HAND GOT SCRATCHED. IT SCARED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME AND THERE WAS NO REASON AT ALL THAT THEY WENT OFF. *JB
AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT 25 - 30 MPH WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. NO ACCIDENT AT ALL. SHATTERED MY WHOLE WINDSHIELD AND BLEW APART MY DASHBOARD. MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME AND SHE WAS VERY UPSET. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. THE SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED. *AK
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 35 MILES AN HOUR, PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED, SHATTERING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND TORE UP THE DASH BOARD. DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT GO OFF. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO A GM DEALERSHIP TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AND WAIT TO HEAR FROM GM IN REGARDS TO COVERAGE ETC. IN THE MEANTIME THE DEALERSHIP LEFT THE CAR OUT IN THE RAIN FOR A WEEK CAUSING WATER DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY REPLIED A WEEK LATER REFUSING TO COVER ANY COSTS IN REPAIR. HAD TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PROVIDE ONE DURING INTERIM. NOW NOT ONLY THE COST OF THE WINDSHIELD, DASH AND AIRBAG TO BE COVERED, THERE IS WATER DAMAGE TO CAR, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM DUE TO THE WATER GETTING INSIDE THE DASH BOARD. SO FAR EVERYONE I HAVE CONTACTED HAVE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING, BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT. I DO SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OTHER COMPLAINTS JUST ON YOUR WEBSITE OF THE SAME PROBLEM YEAR AND MAKE. WITH THE SAME RESULTS. *NM
AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING. LIGHT CAME ON AND ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER PASSENGER BAG WENT OFF AND BLEW OUT THE WINDSHIELD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY FIXED THE WINDOW BUT ARE CLAIMING THAT THIS IS A MECHANICAL DEFECT AND IS NOT COVERED UNLESS A RIDER IS PRESENT ON THE POLICY. I FEEL THIS IS A DISCLOSURE VIOLATION AS I WOULD HAVE HAD THAT RIDER IN TACT. THIS VEHICLE STILL NEEDS AIRBAGS AND SYSTEMS REPAIRED. THE DRIVER SIDE HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED TO ALLOW FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN AS THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS HALTED THE RENTAL CAR AND ARE DRAGGING THERE FEET GETTING AN AGENT TO THE HOUSE TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. *JB
1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *TS THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD AND PART OF THE MOLDING OVER THE DASH. THERE WAS NO IMPACT. *NM
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY CAME OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, IN WHICH I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT, OR CAUSED TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT. *NM
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AFTER BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT PASSENGER'S FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG SHATTERED PASSENGER'S WINDOW. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH PASSENGER'S AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS NOT OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. AS A RESULT, WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. TEN MINUTES LATER, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, HITTING THE DRIVER IN THE FACE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF IN MY 1995 BONNEVILLE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 60 MPH. GM SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE AIRBAG.BUT THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY THE NEW BAG. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS TAKING ON WATER SOMWHERE WHICH THEN GETS TO THE AIRBAG SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT.THIS CAUSES THE SENSOR TO GET CORRODED AND BECOME FAULTY. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE FOR DEALING WITH GM ON THIS MATTER. *AK
BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG BROKE THE DASHBOARD AND THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *NM
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE. *LA
MY 1995 PONTIAC PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED, WITH NO IMPACT! IT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND WHEN GM WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE THERE REPLY WAS "TO BAD, ITS YOUR PROBLEM, THE CAR IS MORE THAN 5 YEARS OLD". IF THERE HAD BEEN A PASSENGER THERE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN SERIOUS INJURY! *CB
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .