I was in a rear end collision on May 14th 2026 the impact of the speed totaled my car in my airbags did not deploy and from my understanding where the sensors are on my vehicle they should have I ended up getting a concussion and soft tissue damage because my head hit the steering wheel my seat belt did not lock either.
Chevrolet Equinox no deployment problems
142 of the 9,236 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Equinox describe airbags did not deploy in a crash, most of them for the 2005 model year.
- owner complaints
- 142
- worst model year
- 2005
- typical repair cost reported
- $6,000
- typical mileage
- 52,000
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Airbag light 8Seat belt 7Fire or smoke 4Brake failure 4Headlights 2ABS 2Wipers 1Warning lights 1
What owners say
Air bags did not deploy at all on passenger side after collision with a utility pole. Once vehicle stopped drivers side air bag was release but did not deploy the way it should to prevent injury. SUV was totaled per insurance company due to extensive damage on passenger side
The contact rented a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, a deer ran in front of the vehicle, and the vehicle crashed into the deer. During the crash, the vehicle sustained severe damage to the passenger-side front end, but no air bags deployed. During the incident, the contact sustained a lower abdomen injury, but no medical treatment was sought at this time. The dear sustained fatal injuries. A police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the incident. The vehicle was later returned to the rental company. The failure mileage was unknown.
We were involved in a car accident. We ran into the back of a pickup truck that suddenly stopped on the toll road for another car that was in an accident. Our front end of the car was heavily damaged. Our concern is that our air bags did not deploy. With the amount of damage that our car received why did the air bags not deploy. The state trooper the did the report looked into the car and wondered the same thing. I will attach pictures. We are taking into the body shop tomorrow. They said it maybe two weeks before they start on it. The seat belts saved our lives. The air bags did not. We are taking into the body shop tomorrow. There were no warning signs before the accident.
The contact's boyfriend owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH and decelerating to 50 MPH to switch lanes, the vehicle drove over an icy road surface and spun. The contact attempted to turn the wheel and depressed the brake pedal; however, the vehicle crashed into the left guard rail, and the vehicle then crashed into the right guard rail and came to an abrupt stop. The contact stated that the vehicle sustained significant front-end damage. The air bags failed to deploy. Several warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The vehicle owner was occupying the front passenger's seat during the incident. A police report was filed. The tow truck driver transported both passengers of the vehicle to a gas station. Both the contact and her boyfriend were picked up from the gas station and were dropped to the residence by the brother of the vehicle owner. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The contact later had headaches, body soreness, and stiffness. The contact went to the Emergency room and was informed that she had sustained a sprained left rib, whiplash, and a concussion. The contact's boyfriend sustained a sore pinky. The contact stated that the insurance company was currently assessing the vehicle damage. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 99,500.
I was in a car accident (car total loss), my air bags did NOT deploy and a light came on after the crash to say the airbags malfunctioned.
We were in a 9car pile up. Front and back and drivers side were hit and severely damaged. Airbags did not deploy. After the accident smoke was seen coming from the sides of the car where the seat belts come out of. Both front and back were white puffs of smoke from all four seatbelts. The front passenger seatbelt failed to tighten on impact as all the other seatbelts did. Passenger was thrown about the front area, hitting multiple parts of the body. Car is currently in a tow lot. Insurance is going to inspect it.
Equinox Vehicle hit by full size pickup truck, driver to driver impact, with both vehicles estimated to be traveling at or near 40 mph each. The air bags did NOT deploy in the Equinox. Notation of the airbag failure was noted by on scene police, firefighters and paramedics. No other related work, alterations or repairs had previously occurred to this vehicle. No other indications or warning lights occurred or displayed prior to the accident. Vehicle is currently in possession of tow company or auto repair shop.
The contact owned a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving up a hill on a 2-lane road at approximately 45 mph, an oncoming vehicle in the opposing lane had taken too wide of a turn and had entered her lane, to avoid a head-on collision the contact swerved into the guard rail. Upon crashing, the air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated before the crash. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and deemed a total loss. The contact has an appointment with a doctor to determine whether any injuries were sustained. Nobody outside of the vehicle was injured. A police report was filed. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,357.
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, the brake pedal depressed the floorboard without warning and failed to slow down as needed. During the second failure, the contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle initially accelerated upon depression of the brake pedal before the vehicle started to slow down. As the contact depressed the brake pedal to the floorboard; the vehicle failed to brake in time and crashed into another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact's head hit the steering wheel; the contact was treated a few days later for a minor concussion by a primary care doctor. The contact's wife also suffered minor bruising and scratches due to the accident. The other driver was not treated for any injuries at the scene. A police report was filed. Both vehicles were able to be driven away from the scene of the accident. The dealer and the manufacturer were both notified of the failure; the contact was given a case number by the manufacturer. The vehicle was taken to an independent body shop where it remained in their possession. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
Related recalls
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
- What is wrong
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with ventilated front passenger seats. The Occupant Classification System may not properly disable the front passenger air bag when there is a small child or child restraint detected in the seat.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, a front passenger air bag that deploys with a child or infant in the front passenger seat can increase their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger presence system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N222388911.
Recall number 22V929000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006, or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
Recall number 15V666000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail airbags or optional sunroof fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201,"occupant protection in interior impact." during the federal safety agency impact tests, the interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard requirements.
- Risk
- The results of this test indicated a possibility of an increased risk of head injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install an energy absorbing foam piece to each of the a-pillar trim assemblies free of charge. The recall began on may 8, 2008. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668.
Recall number 07V520000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
- What is wrong
- Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." in these vehicles, the right front passenger seat is built with a passenger sensing system. When tested with a representative unrestrained small adult, the system is required to turn the right front passenger's frontal airbag on. An error in the seat sensor calibration can cause it to fail this test. In addition, this condition can prevent the airbag from turning off when the seat is occupied by a small child.
- Risk
- Whenever the front passenger seat is occupied, the driver should always check the airbag indicator to see if the airbag is on or off. If it is not correct for the situation, the passenger should be moved to a different seat. This can increase the risk of injury to a seat occupant during certain crash conditions.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the seat's electronic control unit. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668.
Recall number 07V344000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Equinox no deployment
Which Chevrolet Equinox years have airbags did not deploy in a crash problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2005 (27 complaints), 2011 (14 complaints) and 2010 (11 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix airbags did not deploy in a crash on the Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $6,000 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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