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Pontiac Montana airbag light comes on

35 of the 1,054 owner complaints about the Pontiac Montana describe airbag warning light, most of them for the 1999 model year.

owner complaints
35
worst model year
1999
typical mileage
53,000
Is there a fix? There are 6 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

What owners say

Filed Nov 23, 2016 · Airbags, Brakes · 50,000 miles · DE

Air bag light always comes on all the time, in motion and when stationary. Car has not been in any accidents and has been doing this for years. Gm refuses to fix it. Also ABS light always comes on since it was new and gm refuses to fix it.

Filed Dec 23, 2015 · Airbags · 35,000 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 pontiac montana. The contact started the vehicle and the air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.

Filed Jul 6, 2014 · Airbags · CA

Airbag warning light keep turning on and stays on as you drive the vehicle, sometimes it just turn off by itself and turn on back again.

Filed Apr 8, 2014 · Airbags, Transmission · 96,700 miles · IN

Airbag light came on and transmission shift lever moves but does not engage transmission.

Filed Feb 4, 2013 · Airbags · 260,375 miles · OH · crash

I had an accident where a car fish tailed in front of me slid directly in front of mine. I hit the other car while going 40 MPH, it was a t*bone collision. My front air bags deployed at the time of collision. After getting out of the vehicle I noticed that the passenger side air bag was laying in the front passenger seat with the air bag still inflated. I do remember that for a long time before today the red airbag light was on. I thought this would cause the air bags not to work. I do have pictures of the damage, and the defect with the air bag.

Filed Sep 29, 2011 · Airbags, Electrical · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 pontiac montana. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing failures within the elextrical system, which was causing the cruise control, anti lock braking system, and speed sensor to fail. As a result, the transaction and air bag lights would illuminate on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was related to the failure addressed in the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 02v329000 (air bags frontal). The contact was also informed that the check valve pin for the air bags was in the wiring harness and causing all of the failures. The vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 180,000.

Filed Jun 18, 2011 · Airbags · 75,000 miles · CA

Passenger front airbag light stays on.

Filed Jan 24, 2011 · Airbags · 85,500 miles · MD

Air bag light comes on every few miles.

Filed Nov 19, 2009 · Airbags · TX

Airbag light coming on. Replace sensor and it goes off. Then about 3months later it comes back on. Dealer replaced sensor again. This has repeated itself again and again. It is back on and is making a clicking sound under dash. Light is off but clicking sound is still there. Is it working?

Filed Feb 21, 2009 · Airbags, Engine · 145,000 miles · MI

Bought my car used in 2006,air bag light has come on a few years later,dealer won't fix it because I don't qualify for recall,tells me car came from canada. Depending on where you check my VIN is also registered in the us. My car is now leaking coolant,one repair shop is sure it's the intake gasket,but I can't get this fixed either because it's not under recall yet I did my own research and found millions of people are getting the same problems. I sure wish I could qualify for at least one of the problems I'm having.

Related recalls

Air bags: frontalReported October 31, 2006 · 794 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
Risk
If the passenger sensing system malfunctions, the front air bag on the passenger side may be disabled when it should be enabled, or enabled when it should be disabled. In either case, in the event of a crash that requires air bag deployment, a front passenger's level of injury may be increased.
Remedy
Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (gm) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in gm's letter to owners. The recall began on november 6, 2006. Owners should contact gm at 1‑877‑477‑1022 to begin the process of repurchasing their vehicle.

Recall number 06V417000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator moduleReported February 14, 2003 · 130 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain mini vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that may not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Risk
This could result in reduced capability of the air bag to protect the driver. Also if the air bag inflator ruptured, pieces of the inflator could strike and injure the vehicle occupants.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on march 11, 2003. 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 buick at 1‑800‑521‑7300, cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006, chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, gmc at 1‑800‑462‑8782, or pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737.

Recall number 03V051000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontalReported December 9, 2002 · 272 vehicles affected
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: frontalReported August 9, 2002 · 133,221 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Risk
Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 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 buick at 1‑800‑521‑7300, cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006, chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, gmc at 1‑800‑462‑8782, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537, or pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737.

Recall number 02V222000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontalReported January 25, 2002 · 1,730 vehicles affected
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: frontalReported February 1, 2001 · 38 vehicles affected
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

Questions about the Pontiac Montana airbag light

Why does the airbag light come on in the Pontiac Montana?

Owners who report it most often also describe seat belt won't latch or retract, check engine light and won't start.

Which Pontiac Montana years have airbag warning light problems?

The model years with the most reports are 1999 (17 complaints), 2000 (8 complaints) and 2002 (4 complaints).

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