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.
Safety 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.
Manufacturer 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.
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.
Safety 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.
Manufacturer 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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Safety risk
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DATE CODES AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ANY SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Power train: automatic transmission
4
55,420 mi
Engine and engine cooling
2
109,300 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
2
18,336 mi
Suspension: front
2
—
Electrical system
1
175,000 mi
Electrical system: wiring: front underhood
1
52,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
1
29,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
1
66,000 mi
Exterior lighting: brake lights
1
90,000 mi
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
1
90,000 mi
Seat belts
1
—
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
1
—
Seat belts: rear/other
1
49,500 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components
1
—
Structure: body: door
1
—
Suspension
1
—
Suspension: rear
1
90,000 mi
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
1
—
Vehicle speed control: cruise control
1
175,000 mi
The 2000 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.