The passenger presence sensor is failing or failed because every time someone sit in there the airbag turns on and off repeatedly every 2-3 mins and gives a service airbag warning and if no one is sitting in the passenger seat then it just stays on. Could be really dangerous if a wreck happens while it’s glitching in the off mod…
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The passenger presence sensor is failing or failed because every time someone sit in there the airbag turns on and off repeatedly every 2-3 mins and gives a service airbag warning and if no one is sitting in the passenger seat then it just stays on. Could be really dangerous if a wreck happens while it’s glitching in the off mode and could cause death. Multiple people have had this problem with the volts and there is even a thing you can by to completely bypass the airbag going off which shows how common the problem is if there is a solution to eliminate it in an unsafe/not factory manner
NHTSA ODI #11720796
Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2025
Air BagsSeats
Front passenger seat sensor intermittently fails, causing the Passenger Airbag indicator to switch to OFF (even if a passenger is present) with an accompanying "Service Airbag" message on the dashboard and illumination of the service airbag light. This occurs usually driving above 25mph, but can happen stationary, and lasts for …
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Front passenger seat sensor intermittently fails, causing the Passenger Airbag indicator to switch to OFF (even if a passenger is present) with an accompanying "Service Airbag" message on the dashboard and illumination of the service airbag light. This occurs usually driving above 25mph, but can happen stationary, and lasts for anywhere from 5 seconds to a minute (more commonly shorter). The issue appears some weeks more than others, usually activating most days a week but sometimes have a week or two where it does not happen.
NHTSA ODI #11676789
Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2024
Air BagsSeats
I have a 2013 Volt. Passenger Presence pad in the passenger front seat caused the "Airbag Service" warning light. It is very common. So many people have suffered from it. It cost over $1000. But it is not a recall.
NHTSA ODI #11574144
Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2024
Air BagsSeatsUnknown Or Other
The passenger side seat airbag sensor is malfunctioning. A message displaying “Service Airbag” comes up and the airbag light comes on. This happens numerous times during a typical drive (around 20 minutes) The airbag is turned off while the message and light is displayed. This issue has been occurring for about a year or two now…
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The passenger side seat airbag sensor is malfunctioning. A message displaying “Service Airbag” comes up and the airbag light comes on. This happens numerous times during a typical drive (around 20 minutes) The airbag is turned off while the message and light is displayed. This issue has been occurring for about a year or two now. Starting around 90k miles, currently has 111k miles. I’ve done my research on this issue and many other Volt owners have this issue. Which is caused by a defect in the passenger side sensor mat in the seat that can fold over itself with normal use, causing the issue.
NHTSA ODI #11566665
Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2023
Air BagsSeats
The airbag for the passenger seat is faulty and turns off and on, took it to the dealership and they said it was a $1000 to fix it. Said it was a bad wiring harness
NHTSA ODI #11540942
Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2023
Air BagsSeats
According to NHTSA's own filing - Action PE19013 - GM's response to the action was to "establish a cost reduction program". I have now had this exact problem diagnosed, and repaired at a cost of $1,133. Neither GM, nor the Chevrolet dealership where I had the repair done had any information or provided and discounts or cost redu…
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According to NHTSA's own filing - Action PE19013 - GM's response to the action was to "establish a cost reduction program". I have now had this exact problem diagnosed, and repaired at a cost of $1,133. Neither GM, nor the Chevrolet dealership where I had the repair done had any information or provided and discounts or cost reduction. Either NHTSA has lied in its report, or GM has lied to NHTSA in order to close this incident. I should have the cost of this repair "reduced".
NHTSA ODI #11511529
Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2022
Air BagsSeats
The passenger presence sensor module has developed a fault. The service airbag soon warning pops up when a front seat passenger gets out of the seat. I can manually recreate the problem by pressing down on the seat bottom cushion and then when I release pressure the warning reappears and then goes away after 10 seconds. I will n…
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The passenger presence sensor module has developed a fault. The service airbag soon warning pops up when a front seat passenger gets out of the seat. I can manually recreate the problem by pressing down on the seat bottom cushion and then when I release pressure the warning reappears and then goes away after 10 seconds. I will now need to replace the module and get the vehicle reprogrammed, or find a junkyard seat and hope it doesn't have the same problem. You really should have required GM to do more on this issue when you investigated it! From what I understand, there is not a 'cost reduction program' for having the dealer replace this defective part. This seems to be a very common problem that has perhaps gone underreported, but is obviously going to happen given the design of the sensor pad where it develops a fatigue failure.
NHTSA ODI #11499347
67,000 miles · Apr 23, 2021
Air BagsSeats
THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILS WAS FAILING. THE CHECK AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THIS WOULD DISABLE THE AIRBAG (WHEN THE CHECK AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ENABLED SWITCHES TO OFF.) THIS IS A DANGEROUS FAILURE. IF THE CAR KNOWS TH…
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THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILS WAS FAILING. THE CHECK AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THIS WOULD DISABLE THE AIRBAG (WHEN THE CHECK AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ENABLED SWITCHES TO OFF.) THIS IS A DANGEROUS FAILURE. IF THE CAR KNOWS THAT THE SENSOR HAS FAILED THEN THE 'SAFE' CONDITION SHOULD BE TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS OR THE 'SEAT OCCUPIED' CONDITION SHOULD BE 'LATCHED TRUE' UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPS. (A PASSENGER CANNOT SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING AT 35 OR 40 MPH). THIS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY IN 2020 AND 2021. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE - WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE ISSUE STARTED AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER APRIL-2021 AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA ODI #11413551
60,000 miles · Dec 11, 2020
Air BagsElectrical SystemSeats
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SEATBELT SENSOR FAULTY AND GIVES NOTICE ON DISPLAY. INTERMITTENTLY STOPS TURNING ON PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN IT. I HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS AND DOES IT EVERYTIME WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF POSTS ONLINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE FILED …
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THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SEATBELT SENSOR FAULTY AND GIVES NOTICE ON DISPLAY. INTERMITTENTLY STOPS TURNING ON PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN IT. I HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS AND DOES IT EVERYTIME WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF POSTS ONLINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE FILED THIS SAME COMPLAINT WITH NO RESPONSE.
NHTSA ODI #11383019
65,000 miles · Dec 9, 2020
Air BagsSeats
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND PASSENGER AIR BAG. WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT IT WAS THE PASSENGER DETECTION SENSOR NOT WORKING AND NEEDS A 1,000 DOLLAR FIX TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. AIR BAG SYSTEM WILL NOT ENABLE WITH FULL SIZE PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232413120.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. An update to the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2) may have disabled the cell balancing function causing a low-voltage condition.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the voltage drops, the vehicle may lose propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the HPCM2, free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18215.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Consequence: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Consequence: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2
DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
PE19013 · Passenger Sensing System
Opened Sep 17, 2019 · Closed Jul 2, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
In September 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-013 to assess the potential safety related effects of a malfunction of the Passenger Sensing System (PSS) in 2012-2013 Model Year (MY) Chevrolet Volt vehicles. Consumers reported that due to a malfunction of the PSS, the air bag system malfunction indicator light (MIL) was activated. Many of the complaints noted the malfunction occurred after the warranty period expired and mentioned high repair costs as a major deterrent to the repair of the vehicle.The PSS sensor mat is embedded in the front passenger seat cushion and is intended to detect child seats and small statured occupants who could be harmed by deployment of the frontal passenger air bag. The PSS may develop a malfunction due to bunching of the sensor mat in the seat trench. The bunching of the sensor mat could cause the mat to repeatedly fold in the same location. Over time, the repeated folding can cause an increased resistance in the sensor mat. An increased resistance in the PSS sensor mat is detected as a fault in the air bag system diagnostic. If this fault is detected, a diagnostic trouble code will be stored in the air bag control unit and the air bag MIL will illuminate.Further, if the fault is detected, the passenger frontal and knee air bags will be suppressed in a crash of sufficient severity to warrant a commanded deployment regardless of the nature of size of the occupant of the front passenger seat.The report counts shown above include only those reports that specifically address the issue covered by this investigation, failure of the PSS sensor mat. Reports alleging only that the air bag light is on with no cause stated, or where a different cause was otherwise identified, were excluded as the air bag light could be illuminated for system faults other than a PSS malfunction.The subject vehicles have been in service for approximately ten (10) years. An analysis of General Motors (GM) warranty data for the subject vehicles, including a comparison with other agency and manufacturer data pertaining to similar occupant detection system failure investigations, indicates the subject vehicles experience a comparatively low complaint rate for this issue given the number of years the vehicles have been in service.GM has instituted a cost reduction program for the repair/replacement of the PSS in the subject vehicles. Based on this cost reduction program as well as:1) a comparatively low warranty rate; 2) no reported injuries, deaths or asymmetric deployments; and 3) the age of the vehicles; ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers in a separate attachment.
2013 Chevrolet Volt Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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