IllustrationTHE VEHICLE PASSENGER AIRBAG SEAT SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 40K ORIGINAL MILES BUT THE SENSOR FAILED JUST AFTER THE 36K MILE ENDED. THE SENSOR IS POORLY DESIGNED AND THE DEALER WANTS 900 TO REPLACE IT. I HAVE SEE HUNDREDS OF OTHER OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM.
2006 Pontiac Solstice
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Solstice years
Owner complaints for the 2006 Pontiac Solstice are substantially higher than the model-year median of 97.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Solstice years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
550–25K
6825–50K
2950–75K
1675–100K
7100–150K
3150K+
178 reports with mileage · 65 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 178 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
243 reportsPASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, GIVING ERROR ON DASHBOARD. RESEARCHED ERROR TO FIND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR IS REPORTED TO BE VERY TEMPORARY.
PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED. DEALER QUOTED COST TO REPAIR IS NEARLY 10% OF WHAT VEHICLE IS WORTH.
THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN MY VEHICLE FAILED SHORTLY AFTER LOGGING 25,000 MILES. THE FAILURE INDICATION HAPPENED AT SLOW SPEED WHILE TURNING LEFT ONTO A BUMPY ROAD. ANY PASSENGER IN THE CAR FACES ADDED RISK IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OWNER'S COST TO FIX THIS ITEM IS PROHIBITIVE ($800 OR MORE), AND …
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THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN MY VEHICLE FAILED SHORTLY AFTER LOGGING 25,000 MILES. THE FAILURE INDICATION HAPPENED AT SLOW SPEED WHILE TURNING LEFT ONTO A BUMPY ROAD. ANY PASSENGER IN THE CAR FACES ADDED RISK IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OWNER'S COST TO FIX THIS ITEM IS PROHIBITIVE ($800 OR MORE), AND THAT THE EARLY FAILURE OF THIS PART IS SOMEWHAT COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE. DISCUSSING THIS WITH OTHER OWNERS, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AND THE EXPENSIVE FIX ONLY TEMPORARILY SOLVES THE PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THIS CAN LEAD TO A DEPLOYMENT FAILURE OR AN UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THIS IS AN UNRELIABLE SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT HAS NO PLACE IN A PASSENGER VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE WARNING CHIME SOUNDED WHICH INDICATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT LATCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE WARNING CHIME SOUNDED WHICH INDICATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT LATCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
PONTIAC SOLSTICE PASSENGER PRESENCE SENSOR HAS FAILED THEREBY CAUSING A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM AND THE CONTINUAL ILLUMINATION OF THE AIRBAG FAILURE LIGHT.
DEAR NHTSA CSR, I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT APPEARS GM IS IGNORING A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE REVIEW THE COMPLAINT I FILED WITH GM BELOW AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEAR GM CSR, ON AUGUST 27, 2015 I HAD MY 2006 SOLSTICE IN FOR SERVICE AT RENTSCHLER, SLATINGTON, PA. THE ISSUE IS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG I…
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DEAR NHTSA CSR, I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT APPEARS GM IS IGNORING A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE REVIEW THE COMPLAINT I FILED WITH GM BELOW AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEAR GM CSR, ON AUGUST 27, 2015 I HAD MY 2006 SOLSTICE IN FOR SERVICE AT RENTSCHLER, SLATINGTON, PA. THE ISSUE IS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS NOT ACTIVATING FOR MY WIFE BUT DOES FOR ME. SHE WEIGHS 119 LBS. RENTSCHLER REPORTED PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WORKING FINE. I ASKED WHAT IS WEIGHT OF PERSON THAT SAT IN PASSENGER SIDE SEAT? THEY INDICATED A MALE TECH. I STATED WORKS FOR ME ALSO BUT NOT FOR MY WIFE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE ONE OF THEIR GIRLS (ROBIN) TRY. THEY THEN WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ROBIN WEIGHS 110LBS. THE RENTSCHLER SERVICE PERSON THEN SHARED THEY CALLED GM AND WERE TOLD BY GM THAT THE AIR BAG ACTIVATION SENSOR IS WORKING WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS. I FIND THIS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE. THE AIR BAG SENSOR WORKED FINE FOR MY WIFE FROM THE YEAR I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2006 UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SERIOUS BREACH OF SAFETY PROTOCOL WHEN AIR BAG IS NOT BEING ACTIVATED FOR A 119LB ADULT. I DID NOT ARGUE WITH RENTSCHLER SINCE THEY CONTACTED GM, FELT MOST EXPEDIENT TO CONTACT GM. SINCERELY, [XXX] IN SUMMARY, THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR WORKED FINE FOR NEARLY 9 YEARS THEN SUDDENLY IT STOPPED WORKING. GM / RENTSCHLER CLAIM THE AIRBAG SENSOR WORKING WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS. THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE A VERY SERIOUS BREACH OF SAFETY PROTOCOL. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A 119 LB ADULT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE THE AIRBAG SENSOR AND BE PROTECTED BY THE AIR BAG IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. COINCIDENTALLY THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER THE IGNITION SWITCH CHANGED PER RECALL. I AM NOT SAYING THIS DOES OR DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE AIRBAG / AIRBAG SENSOR ISSUE, JUST NOTING TIME FRAME OF EVENTS. REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. THE DEALER SAYS PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM IN JUST ABOUT ALL PONTIAC SOLSTICE VEHICLES AND SATURN SKY VEHICLES. FOR THIS REASON I BELIEVE GM SHOULD ANNOUNCE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL TO HAVE THIS D…
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WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. THE DEALER SAYS PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM IN JUST ABOUT ALL PONTIAC SOLSTICE VEHICLES AND SATURN SKY VEHICLES. FOR THIS REASON I BELIEVE GM SHOULD ANNOUNCE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL TO HAVE THIS DEFECT REPAIRED BEFORE INJURY OR DEATH IS CAUSED BY THEIR NEGLIGENCE.
PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY PASSENGERS AS WELL AS MYSELF. THE REPLACEMENT PART IS OVER 800.00 NOT INCLUDING LABOR TO INSPECT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND NOT TO INCLUDE INSTALLATION. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL !!!
PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR, INTERMITTENT FAILURE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE MY WIFE HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE AIR BAG SENSOR DOES NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER AND TURNS OFF WHILE PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A KNO…
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PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR, INTERMITTENT FAILURE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE MY WIFE HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE AIR BAG SENSOR DOES NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER AND TURNS OFF WHILE PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THROUGHOUT THE SOLSTICE COMMUNITY. THE AVERAGE REPAIR COST IS $600-$800 DOLLARS FOR A SAFETY PRODUCT !! THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED BY NHTSA BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR MAIMED BY THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT !!! THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A MANUFACTURER TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW AN INFERIOR PRODUCT TO BE USED. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IN ALL DIFFERENT AGE AND MILEAGES IN THIS VEHICLE. THE SYSTEM MAY ALSO NOT RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER DEPENDING ON THEIR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION ON THE SEAT. A SIMPLE FIX IS A SOFTWARE FLASH TO "ALWAYS ON" OR A KEYED SWITCH LIKE OTHER VEHICLES WHERE THE AIRBAG CAN BE SWITCHED OFF IF REQUIRED. THIS ISSUE MAY CAUSE AS MANY DEATHS AND OR INJURIES AS THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND FORCE GM TO FIX THIS KNOWN DEFECT?
Official recalls
417V061000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
Jan 26, 2017
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. The Passenger Air Bag Suppression System (PPS) sensor may become bent or damaged within the front passenger seat, possibly disabling the front passenger air bag.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag does not deploy as intended, the front passenger has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: The remedy for this recall is still under development. A permanent remedy is currently under development. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 17036.
14V171000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 10, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.
14V047000 · Air Bags; Electrical System:ignition:switch
Feb 10, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GMs recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GMs recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
Electrical System:ignition:switch
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GMs recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
07V589000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft:seal
Dec 20, 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR AXLE PINION SEAL DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXPERIENCE A FLUID LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE MAY CAUSE LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND POSSIBLY LOSS OF CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PINION SEAL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 1, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006 OR HTTP://WWW.CADILLAC.COM; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR HTTP://WWW.PONTIAC.COM; AND SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR HTTP://WWW.SATURN.COM.
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
3DP20002 · Hvac Blower Motor Connector
Opened Feb 7, 2020 · Closed Oct 27, 2022
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Defect Petition received December 12, 2019 requesting an investigation into the possibility of passenger compartment fires attributed to overheating HVAC blower motor connectors in Model Years (MY) 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky vehicles.An analysis of General Motors (GM) complaint data and information in NHTSA?s databases identified thirteen unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs) with reported incidents that could pertain to blower motor overheating, smoking, or melting in the 90,938 MY2006-2010 Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice vehicles produced. Two of the thirteen cited incidents reported smoke and thermal damage that may be attributed to the HVAC blower motor although neither incident was confirmed through vehicle inspection. One incident, a MY2008 Saturn Sky with substantial field exposure from a frontal collision, could not have the root cause identified. The other, a MY2007 Pontiac Solstice, did not inform the manufacturer nor take the vehicle to a dealer for evaluation.Most of the 13 incidents reported an overheated or discolored connector with attendant loss of HVAC blower fan function. GM reported 354 warranty claims with the subject components for the Sky and Solstice, none of which included a report of fire and only one report of smoke. Over a period of ten to fourteen years in service, there are two reports of smoke or thermal damage.While the subject Sky and Solstice vehicles and the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles do share common components, the Sky and Solstice vehicles have demonstrated very different behavior and their HVAC system has a lower power draw than the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles. The recalled H3 and H3T vehicles generate over triple the failure rate of the Sky and Solstice vehicles. GM suggested in its response to the ODI?s information request that this difference was due to the larger interior volume of a recalled Hummer vehicle imposing a heavier electrical load and duty cycle on its HVAC blower. The duty cycle is defined as how long it takes for the vehicle to cool down enough before the HVAC blower motor fan speed is lowered or turned off completely.Additionally, due to the size differential between the Sky and Solstice vehicles and the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles, the parts have a different power draw. The Sky and Solstice vehicles, due to their smaller size, draw less wattage, which reduces the likelihood of a thermal event. This condition in the Sky and Solstice vehicles typically leads to an inoperable HVAC blower motor as opposed to a thermal event.Despite the commonality of parts in the Sky and Solstice vehicles with those that were the basis of a safety recall, the subject vehicles have not demonstrated a safety defect trend that would likely lead to a safety recall or merit further investigation by the ODI. The subject vehicles have a low rate of reported thermal events over the ten to fourteen years they have been in service with the most recent occurring in 2017 with no confirmed fires. The HVAC blower motor was not confirmed to be the root cause for either thermal event cited above.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA?s possession, information submitted by GM in response to an information request, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner?s allegation, NHTSA does not believe that the petition warrants a formal investigation at this time. Consequently, the petition is denied.The entire petition denial can be viewed in the October 14, 2022 Federal Register under DP20-002.(https://www.f
DP16001 · Passenger Sensing System Sensor Mat
Opened May 16, 2016 · Closed Apr 24, 2017
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting the opening of an investigation into the air bag system on model year 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky, the subject vehicles.The petitioner raised the issue of failure of the Passenger Sensing System for the front passenger seating position.On January 26, 2017, General Motors filed a defect information report recalling the subject vehicles to address the issue raised by the petition.In view of the recall, ODI considers the petition moot and is closing the action.The closing of the petition does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.
PE07037 · Failure Of The Rear Differential
Opened Jul 17, 2007 · Closed Dec 27, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit
ODI EVALUATED TWO DIFFERENT ALLEGED DEFECTS INVOLVING REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE DEFECT CONDITIONS AND ODI HAS OPENED AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO CONTINUE ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE OTHER ALLEGED DEFECT. ON DECEMBER 19, 2007, GM SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA CONCERNING DEFECTIVE REAR AXLE PINION SEALS IN APPROXIMATELY 275,936 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005-07 CADILLAC CTS, STS AND SRX VEHICLES AS WELL AS MY 2006-07 PONTIAC SOLSTICE AND MY 2007 SATURN SKY VEHICLES (RECALL 07V-589).ON STS AND SRX VEHICLES WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE, THE FRONT AXLE PINION SEAL ALSO DOES NOT MEET ALL OF GM'S SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXPERIENCE A FLUID LEAK.GM INDICATED THAT THE SEAL SUPPLIER MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED CHANGE TO THE PINION SEAL MATERIAL.LEAKING PINION SEALS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF REAR DIFFERENTIAL LUBRICATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ON DECEMBER 7, 2007, ODI OPENED AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-017) TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE (E.G., FRACTURED REAR DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER HOUSING OR REAR AXLE HALF SHAFTS) WHILE DRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 7,600 MY 2004 THROUGH 2006 CADILLAC CTS-V VEHICLES.THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND VEHICLE DISABLEMENT AND IS NOT ADDRESSED BY RECALL 07V-589.ODI IDENTIFIED 35 COMPLAINTS (16 TO ODI AND 19 TO GM) AND 128 WARRANTY CLAIMS POTENTIALLY RELATED TO THIS CONDITION (SEE EA07-017 OPENING RESUME).THESE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY OF THIS CLOSING RESUME. THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY FIGURES GIVEN IN THIS RESUME ARE LIMITED TO THOSE THAT (A) ARE MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A LEAKING REAR PINION SEAL; AND (B) RESULTED IN AN ALLEGATION OF A REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING.THE DATA DO NOT INCLUDE ALL REPORTS OF SEAL LEAKAGE.