got cutoff on a busy highway going 70mph and they slammed their brakes. i had 6 car lengths between us and immediately started braking but we were just skidding. I had the choice of hitting the vehicle or swerving left towards the median. I chose the latter. The steering locked up, the abs did NOT kick in and the airbags did NOT deploy. we hit a median at 70mph and no airbags?! I was point of impact. It hit the front drivers side, destroying the light and entire front. the car spun around and it hit again but this time it was the back passenger side/light. Again, NO airbags deployed. So my abs, steering, and airbags all had issues. We are so lucky no one is hurt in severeity but I am beyond fuming, scared, and confused why all of those locked up/failed to serve their purpose! Most severe injuries were me with contusions, strains, and a herniated disc in my neck (likely to cause chronic pain, per doctor.) cop already found me not at fault so no ticket/points, to give an idea. person kept driving. one person stopped and happened to be 4 cars behind us and verified what happened to us. The vehicle is totaled. We are sol on a car now as insurance said it wasn't worth having collision considering how old it was... never had an accident or ticket in 10+ years of driving. the car failed me.
Pontiac Grand Prix no deployment problems
100 of the 5,184 owner complaints about the Pontiac Grand Prix describe airbags did not deploy in a crash, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 100
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical mileage
- 104,000
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 5ABS 5Headlights 3Sudden acceleration 2Steering lock-up 2Seat belt 2Power steering loss 2Engine failure 2
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 pontiac grand prix. While driving 35 MPH, the contact's vehicle accelerated independently without warning and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact then veered off the road, crashed into a pine tree, and flipped over. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belt snapped as the vehicle flipped. The contact and other driver were both evaluated at the scene. The contact later sought medical attention for a broken arm. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to a tow yard and then to the contact's home. The vehicle was not destroyed; however, the vehicle was deemed inoperable. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the crash or the air bag failure. The cause of the failures was not diagnosed. The failure mileage was 256,000.
Air bags did not deploy with front end damage
While driving my car on street I was struck on the passenger side in a intersection when a chevy maxi van struct me when running a red light. My airbag did not deploy and my vehicle was totalled. I sustained body injuries such as back and neck and financial hardship. I have never recovered from these injuries.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 pontiac grand prix. While driving 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, but the brakes failed to respond. As a result, the contact struck the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 157,600.
On march 1, 2017, while driving down la vita pass, on hwy 160 east, in colorado, the roads were solid ice. I tried to break lightly, in a touch, release, method, but the sensor on the dash stated (no traction), and would lock the breaks, during the light applied pressure on the breaks, causing me to slide a bit. I hit a vehicle in front of me, (speed aprox. 35mph) causing me to spin into on coming traffic, going west bound. My vehicle was struck in the front, and back, my air bags never deployed. Wanting to report: break problem with my vehicle, and non-deployment of air bags. (can not send you pictures as you only allow 5mb files, and I guess, my pics are larger, and they will not let me send them to you.)
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 pontiac grand prix. While driving 25 MPH flames emitted from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle caught fire without warning the fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 189,000. Updated 02/23/17*lj consumer stated airbags did not deploy updated 7/6/18*jb
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 pontiac grand prix. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost control and crashed into a utility pole causing significant damage to the front end of the vehicle. During the incident the air bags did not deploy and the driver sustained injuries to both shoulders. The vehicle was destroyed and a police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Hit a bridge head on. Air bags didn't deploy
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 pontiac grand prix. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The driver was unable to get the vehicle under control and the vehicle crashed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. There was no police report filed and no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Related recalls
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
- Risk
- This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the ab8ility of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began december 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537, or saturn at 1‑800‑553‑6000, prompt #3.
Recall number 02V329000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles and mini vans, the driver's air bag inflator modules could produce excessive internal pressure. In the event of a crash that would trigger a driver's air bag deployment, the increased internal pressure can cause the inflator module to explode.
- Risk
- Metal and plastic debris could cause severe injury to vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the driver air bag module. Owner notification began february 1, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737.
Recall number 02V027000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger air bag deployment, a double load of generant can cause the inflator module to explode. If the air bag module explodes, metal and plastic debris could cause severe injury to vehicle occupant. A module with no generant would not inflate the air bag, and the occupants could receive more severe injuries.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on january 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on april 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, or saturn at 1‑800‑553‑6000.
Recall number 01V026000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The passenger side air bag modules have an undersized inflator orifice.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger side air bag deployment, this undersized orifice can cause the inflator module to explode. If an air bag inflator module explodes, metal and/or plastic debris could cause severe injury to the vehicle occupant.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger side air bag modules.
Recall number 99V283000 · Recall details
Questions about the Pontiac Grand Prix no deployment
Which Pontiac Grand Prix years have airbags did not deploy in a crash problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (19 complaints), 1994 (13 complaints) and 2006 (11 complaints).
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