2009 Pontiac G8

TODAY I WOKE UP AND STARTING RECEIVING THE AIR BAG FAULT ERROR. CONTACTED MY LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT'S THE PASSENGER SIDE MODULE THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY QUOTED ME $1200 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THIS IS A SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AS IT DISABLES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH COULD BE LIFE THREATENING IN AN ACCIDENT. IT IS MY REQUEST TO THE NHTSA THAT THIS AIR BAG FAULT AND PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE FAILURE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL, AS THIS IS A COSTLY REPAIR AND IS NOT A MECHANICAL COMPONENT WHICH WEARS AND TEARS OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, ADDITIONALLY IT IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.

AIR BAG FAULT WARNING ON MY HUD, ALONG WITH THE CORRESPONDING LIGHT, COMES ON WHEN IT GETS COLD OUT. EVERY TIME IT GETS BELOW ABOUT 35 DEGREES THIS LIGHT WILL COME ON AND DISABLE ALL OF MY AIR BAGS. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVER SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. I HAVE CONSULTED WITH MY LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AND THE DIAGNOSIS INDICATED TO REPLACE THE "PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE". THIS FAULT DISABLES THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH IS A SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AS IT DISABLES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH COULD/WOULD BE LIFE THREATENING IN AN ACCIDENT. THE AIR BAG FAULT/PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE FAILURE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL, AS THIS IS NOT A MECHANICAL COMPONENT WHICH IS CONSIDERED WEAR AND TEAR OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

WHILE DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY IT STARTED SHOWING AIR BAG FAULT WARNING ON THE CENTER CONSOLE SCREEN AND CORRESPONDING LIGHT CAME ON. CONSULTED WITH LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AND DIAGNOSIS INDICATED NEED TO REPLACE THE "PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE". THE COST QUOTED BY GM DEALERSHIP IS $855 (TOTAL), FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THIS FAULT DISABLES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM (PASSENGER AIR BAGS FOR SURE, I AM NOT SURE ABOUT DRIVER AIR BAG SYSTEM) THIS IS A SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AS IT DISABLES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH COULD BE LIFE THREATENING IN AN ACCIDENT. IT IS MY REQUEST TO THE NHTSA THAT THIS AIR BAG FAULT AND PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE FAILURE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL, AS THIS IS A COSTLY REPAIR AND IS NOT A MECHANICAL COMPONENT WHICH WEARS AND TEARS OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, ADDITIONALLY IT IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

TYPICALLY ON COLDER MORNINGS WHEN I START MY CAR I GET AN AIRBAG FAULT. ABOUT 30 TO 45 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE, THE FAULT DISAPPEARS. I HAVE BEEN READING THAT MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY WHILE THE SYSTEM IS IN FAULT. THIS HAPPENED TO ME MOST RECENTLY THIS PAST THURSDAY AND ALSO HAPPENED THE TWO PREVIOUS DAYS. I HAVE NOTICED AGAIN THAT IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN DURING COLDER MORNINGS. IT HAS HAPPENED PRIOR TO THIS WEEK ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. THE FIRST 30 MINUTES OF MY COMMUTE IS ON RURAL ROADS BUT WITHIN THE FIRST 15 MINUTES, TURNS TO STOP AND GO DRIVING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. BUICK, GMC, CADILLAC DONOVAN AUTO & TRUCK CENTER (5800 W KELLOGG DR, WICHITA, KS 67209, (316) 768-4891) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V172000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR, TIRES) AND MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERS: 09101 AND 09046. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

THE SRS SYSTEM IS THROWING DTC B0012 0D: DRIVER STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT LOOP STAGE 1 HIGH RESISTANCE DTC. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AND IS NOT A COVERED REPAIR. OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE FUNCTIONING AIRBAGS IN THEIR VEHICLE. WHILE THIS CODE IS ON, THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM WILL NOT FUNCTION IN THE CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 PONTIAC G8. WHILE DRIVING 52 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER OF A VEHICLE THAT FAILED TO YIELD. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE SPINE, ANKLES, NECK, AND RIGHT SHOULDER, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V172000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR, TIRES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.