2009 Pontiac Solstice

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Defect Petition received December 12, 2019 requesting an investigation into the possibility of passenger compartment fires attributed to overheating HVAC blower motor connectors in Model Years (MY) 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky vehicles.An analysis of General Motors (GM) complaint data and information in NHTSA?s databases identified thirteen unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs) with reported incidents that could pertain to blower motor overheating, smoking, or melting in the 90,938 MY2006-2010 Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice vehicles produced. Two of the thirteen cited incidents reported smoke and thermal damage that may be attributed to the HVAC blower motor although neither incident was confirmed through vehicle inspection. One incident, a MY2008 Saturn Sky with substantial field exposure from a frontal collision, could not have the root cause identified. The other, a MY2007 Pontiac Solstice, did not inform the manufacturer nor take the vehicle to a dealer for evaluation.Most of the 13 incidents reported an overheated or discolored connector with attendant loss of HVAC blower fan function. GM reported 354 warranty claims with the subject components for the Sky and Solstice, none of which included a report of fire and only one report of smoke. Over a period of ten to fourteen years in service, there are two reports of smoke or thermal damage.While the subject Sky and Solstice vehicles and the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles do share common components, the Sky and Solstice vehicles have demonstrated very different behavior and their HVAC system has a lower power draw than the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles. The recalled H3 and H3T vehicles generate over triple the failure rate of the Sky and Solstice vehicles. GM suggested in its response to the ODI?s information request that this difference was due to the larger interior volume of a recalled Hummer vehicle imposing a heavier electrical load and duty cycle on its HVAC blower. The duty cycle is defined as how long it takes for the vehicle to cool down enough before the HVAC blower motor fan speed is lowered or turned off completely.Additionally, due to the size differential between the Sky and Solstice vehicles and the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles, the parts have a different power draw. The Sky and Solstice vehicles, due to their smaller size, draw less wattage, which reduces the likelihood of a thermal event. This condition in the Sky and Solstice vehicles typically leads to an inoperable HVAC blower motor as opposed to a thermal event.Despite the commonality of parts in the Sky and Solstice vehicles with those that were the basis of a safety recall, the subject vehicles have not demonstrated a safety defect trend that would likely lead to a safety recall or merit further investigation by the ODI. The subject vehicles have a low rate of reported thermal events over the ten to fourteen years they have been in service with the most recent occurring in 2017 with no confirmed fires. The HVAC blower motor was not confirmed to be the root cause for either thermal event cited above.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA?s possession, information submitted by GM in response to an information request, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner?s allegation, NHTSA does not believe that the petition warrants a formal investigation at this time. Consequently, the petition is denied.The entire petition denial can be viewed in the October 14, 2022 Federal Register under DP20-002.(https://www.f

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting the opening of an investigation into the air bag system on model year 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky, the subject vehicles.The petitioner raised the issue of failure of the Passenger Sensing System for the front passenger seating position.On January 26, 2017, General Motors filed a defect information report recalling the subject vehicles to address the issue raised by the petition.In view of the recall, ODI considers the petition moot and is closing the action.The closing of the petition does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.

The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac Solstice. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact called the dealer, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that an electrical sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11538308

Incident

Jul 14, 2023

Mileage

50,000 mi

My issue is with the initial recall of the air bag system. Why is the air bag replaced only one time when this is an ongoing problem. My air bag system needs replaced for the second time but it is not covered. I don't understand the logic behind not continually correcting an ongoing problem. Can you please help me? [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11483284

Incident

Sep 7, 2022

My Solstice had recall # 14092 & 14133 for service airbag to passenger seat completed on 4/27/2018. As of 10/25/2019 the service airbag light is once again on and indicates that the passenger airbag is off. The recall part has malfunctioned. Please contact with another recall to fix this problem. My Solstice has 25,600 miles.

NHTSA ID

11438826

Incident

Oct 25, 2021

Over the years I've received multiple info cards from dealerships concerning this recall. I return their request for having recall work scheduled. The dealerships then return my call usually in a few days saying they are unable to aquire parts for recall work. So far no dealership has been able to do the install due to parts shortage. Where do I go from here?

NHTSA ID

11427502

Incident

Aug 2, 2021

PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND IS ALWAYS ON. DRIVER INFO DISPLAY INDICATES "SERVICE AIRBAG" EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. PPS MAT RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED. THE REINFORCEMENT REPAIR HAS FAILED. THE EXACT SAME PPS MAT IS USED ON THE CADILLAC CTS, AND THE RECALL FOR THAT WAS TO REPLACE THE SENSOR BECAUSE IT WAS DETERMINED THE MATERIAL MAY FATIGUE AND CRACK. THUS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE PPS MAT AND THEREFORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED, NOT REPAIRED IN THE SOLSTICE/SKY. A TAPE-ON REINFORCEMENT STRIP IS NOT SUFFICIENT.

NHTSA ID

11407099

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

Mileage

64,500 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ALWAYS ON. DRIVER INFO DISPLAY ALWAYS INDICATES "SERVICE AIRBAG" (WITH ALERT TONE) EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS RELATED RECALL 17V061000 FOR FAILURES IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR PPS MAT. SOLSTICE REPAIR WAS ADDED REINFORCED TAPE. CTS REPAIR FOR SAME ISSUE WAS TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. MANY SOLSTICE/SKY OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING THE RECALL REPAIR JOB FAILED A YEAR AFTER THE FIX, RESULTING IN NEED TO REPLACE THE SENSOR MAT. AS THE PPS MAT IS AN FMVSS MANDATED SAFETY FEATURE, IT SHOULD BE [AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN] REPLACED ENTIRELY, NOT JUST REPAIRED WITH REINFORCED TAPE. GM INDICATES THE RECALL REPAIR WAS ALREADY PERFORMED, SO I WILL HAVE TO PAY NEARLY $800 TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE FAILURE INDICATORS. THIS IS UNREASONABLE. ONE CANNOT EXPECT REINFORCED TAPE TO PREVENT AN UNKNOWN FATIGUE CONDITION ON AN 8-10 YEAR OLD SENSOR. REPLACEMENT WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN AS IN THE CTS IS THE ONLY CERTAIN SOLUTION AND NHSTA SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED GM TO USE REINFORCED TAPE.

NHTSA ID

11384058

Incident

Aug 12, 2020

Mileage

64,000 mi

ALMOST 36K MILES AND THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT APPEARED ON MY DASH WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH A PARTNER (ADULT OVER 150 LBS) AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG TURNED OFF, I WENT OUT OF THE HIGHWAY FOR HIS SAFETY AND DRIVE SLOWER OUR WAY BACK TO WORK, BUT SUDDENDLY HE KIND OF ACCOMODATE HIMSELF ON THE SEAT AND THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT DISAPPERED, SO I ASKED HIM TO MOVE/CHANGE HIS SITTING POSITION ON THE SEAT AND THIS WAY THE LIGHT RETURNED AND THEN DISAPPEARD WHEN HE CHANGED RANDOMLY HIS WEIGHT OVER THE SEAT. RIGHT NOW THE LIGHT IS PERMANENT ON MY DASHBOARD NO MARE THER IS NO WEIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SIT OR SOMEONE OVER 150 POUNDS SITS AND CHANGES SITTING POSITION. MY CAR ATTENDED THE RECALL 17036 AUG 2018 AT THAT TIME THE PROBLEM WAS NOT PRESENT ON MY PPS SO THEY PROCEED TO MAKE THE REINFORCEMENT, BUT NOW IT APPEARED THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME THE DIAGNOSTIC AND IF THE PPS IS THE FAILURE (AS IT SEEMS TO BE); THE PPS COST, AS IS OVER A YEAR SINCE THE RECALL WAS ATTENDED AND THE PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

11337373

Incident

Jun 24, 2020

Mileage

35,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER (DON MEALEY CHEVROLET, 17185 FL-50, CLERMONT, FL 34711, 352-394-6176) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE THE CONTACT A CALL BACK. THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11129466

Incident

Sep 14, 2018

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, B3935, C0750, C0755, C0760, C0765, and/or C0775.

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.