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.
27
Latest Jun 20, 2008
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.
14%
of 190 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.
13
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
13
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 1997 Pontiac Sunfire submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 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
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. AFTER IT RAINED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4 DAYS, THE CONTACT NOTICED STANDING WATER IN THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO DRY OUT, EVERY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT, DIMMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN $350. THE CONTACT NO LONGER DRIVES THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE FEARS FOR HER LIFE DUE TO THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/16/08 *JB
NHTSA ID
10231846
Incident
Jun 20, 2006
Mileage
60,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 20, 2006
2 injuries reported
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT OF ANY KIND, OR WARNING. *NM
NHTSA ID
10150667
Incident
Feb 19, 2006
Mileage
125,500 mi
Airbags
Filed May 2, 2005
1 injury reported
THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 5 MPH.
NHTSA ID
10118824
Incident
Apr 29, 2005
Mileage
11,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 23, 2004
1 injury reported
1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONSUMER WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY DURING FRONTAL COLLISIONS. *NM
NHTSA ID
10079806
Incident
Jan 1, 2004
Airbags
Filed Dec 10, 2003
BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH. *AK
NHTSA ID
10050327
Incident
Dec 2, 2003
Airbags
Filed Oct 18, 2002
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, VEHICLE MAY HAVE HIT A VERY SMALL POT HOLE, SUDDENLY BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
NHTSA ID
8021146
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Airbags
Filed Oct 18, 2002
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN CONSUMER SAYS MAY HAVE HIT A SMALL POT HOLE, AND BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
NHTSA ID
8021141
Incident
Feb 3, 2001
Airbags
Filed Sep 23, 2002
Crash reported
AS A RESULT OF HITTING A DEER AT 55 MPH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED.AK
NHTSA ID
8019175
AirbagsSuspension
Filed Jan 24, 2002
I AM LOOKING TO SEE IF THESE RECALLS HAD BEEN FIXED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. NO SFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
757285
Airbags
Filed Jan 31, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING IN A VERY BAD SNOW STORM AT APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MPH AND COMING DOWN AN INCLINE. TRYING TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CAR WAS TOTALLED. SEAT BELT WAS BEING WORN AT THE TIME. CONSUMER SUFFERED CHEST INJURIES. NO RESPONSE FROM PONTIAC, THEY WERE COLLECTING INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ID
879509
Incident
Jan 28, 2001
Airbags
Filed Apr 18, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING FRONT END COLLISON, INJURY FROM INCIDENT. NLM
NHTSA ID
551906
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
Airbags
Filed Apr 10, 2000
Crash reported
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 40MPH AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CROSSED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER. CONSUMER HIT OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
860010
Incident
Apr 8, 2000
AirbagsSteering
Filed Feb 7, 2000
Crash reported
WHILE DAUGTHER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH SHE HIT A GUARDRAIL AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
NHTSA ID
856435
Incident
Jan 6, 2000
Airbags
Filed Mar 14, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported
DAPHNE FERGUSON, DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY TO RIGHT (DOMINANT) HAND WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING ACCIDENT
NHTSA ID
704426
Incident
Jul 29, 1998
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Feb 10, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING ON ICE ABOUT 40-45 MPH, BRAKES APPLIED, HITTING A PATCH OF ICE. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, HIT A METAL MEDIUM HEAD-ON. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN ACCIDENT. DEALER CONTACTED AND CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
834688
Incident
Jan 15, 1999
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Oct 1, 1998
DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING RECALL WORK ON THE AIR BAG, DUE TO DEALER LOCATION/PROXIMITY.
NHTSA ID
541434
Airbags
Filed Sep 23, 1998
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#98V146000), AIR BAG. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. MECHANIC REFUSED TO DO WORK ACCORDING TO RECALL. NO EXPLANATION GIVEN. *AK
NHTSA ID
828129
Airbags
Filed Aug 26, 1998
1 injury reported
WHILE MAKING A SUDDEN STOP THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT INDICATIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
827229
Incident
Aug 25, 1998
Airbags
Filed Aug 21, 1998
CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL 98V146000. MADE AN APPOINTMENT, TOOK THE VEHICLE IN ON SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, AND THE DEALER, STATES NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. DEALER HAS NO INFORMATION ON RECALL . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
827052
Incident
Aug 15, 1998
Airbags
Filed Jul 22, 1998
Crash reported
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS REARENDED INTO THE CENTER MEDIAN, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
825709
Incident
Jul 19, 1998
Airbags
Filed Jun 15, 1998
Crash reported
VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR AT 3 MPH, CAUSING BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. ALSO, THE FORCE OF AIRBAG DEPLOYING CAUSED DRIVER TO STRIKE REAR OF VEHICLE TWICE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
NHTSA ID
824301
Airbags
Filed May 5, 1998
WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
823065
Incident
Apr 18, 1998
Airbags
Filed Mar 24, 1998
Crash reported
EA98-007; WHILE AT A RED LIGHT FOR 2 MINUTES, PUT THE VEHICLE IN 1ST GEAR AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT "AIRBAG SENSOR AND THE ACCIDENT CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. " *AK
NHTSA ID
821649
Incident
Feb 2, 1997
Airbags
Filed Mar 24, 1998
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, NO ACCIDENT.
NHTSA ID
533055
Airbags
Filed Feb 3, 1998
Crash reported2 injuries reported
DURING IMPACT AT 5 TO 10 MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING DRIVER TO SUSTAIN BURNS TO THE SKIN, AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN ARM. *AK
NHTSA ID
820327
Incident
Dec 26, 1997
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