2003 PONTIAC MONTANA Air Bags Problems

Van crashed with damage to the front when it ran off the road and went into a culvert/ditch and air bags did not deploy resulting in paralyzation of the wife of the owner after van had been apparently donated to Charity Cars as junk vehicle or salvage vehicle. Vehicle was apparently repaired by towing company and offered for sale at at a used car dealership in Zanesville, Ohio. The passenger side lower dashboard had a white wire hanging down which may have been connected to a defective replacement airbag. I am an attorney representing the owner and the owner's wife. Black box was analyzed in 2019, but not with the latest program.

I WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND HIT A TRUCK BROADSIDE. I ENDED UP HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST. NOT ONLY WAS MY SEATBELT INEFFECTIVE, BUT THE AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN. I DID SUSTAIN CHEST INJURY. IRAN A STOP SIGN IN TOWN.

Mileage: 2,360,000

CHECK THE AIRBAGS SOMETHING WITH BRAKE LIGHT AN ELECTRICAL.

BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS(INSIDE SEAT) DEPLOYED WITHOUT A VEHICLE ACCIDENT OR COLLISION.. BOTH MY WIFE AND I WERE STRUCK WITH THE AIRBAGS. OUR 4 CHILDREN WERE IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF DEPLOYMENT. NONE OF THEM WERE STRUCK DIRECTLY BUT THE NOISE INVOLVED WAS VERY LOUD AND POWDER WAS PRESENT IN THE AIR FOLLOWING DEPLOYMENT. VEHICLE IS NOT WORTH REPAIR ACCORDING TO GM . I HAD NOT PLANNED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE UNTIL THE FALL OF 2015 BUT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY. I NEED TO HAVE IT HE VEHICLE PAID OFF DUE TO SAFETY SO WE CAN ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE. *TR

Mileage: 106,000

GOT INTO VAN,STARTED ENGINE AND REACHED TO GET SEATBELT WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. I WAS VERY STARTLED; EARS RINGING,LEFT ARM TINGLING/ACHING. THEN REALIZED THAT BOTH SIDE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WONDERING IF SOMEONE HIT ME IN PARKING LOT BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THEY DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *TR

A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA WAS IN A PARKING LOT. PEOPLE SITTING IN DRIVER'S SEAT AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE IGNITION WAS ON BUT THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, BOTH SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING SOFT TISSUE INJURY TO DRIVER'S LEFT LOWER RIB CAGE. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS INVOLVED; THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER OBJECT. *TR

Mileage: 152,000

WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE OCT 2005, PURCHASED USED FROM A SATURN DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A GAS TANK RECALL, HOWEVER WE WERE NOTIFIED NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER WE HAD A RUPTURE THAT DROPPED AN ENTIRE TANK OF FUEL ON THE DRIVEWAY AND WERE TOLD WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE HAVING DRIVEN UNKNOWINGLY WITH THIS LEAK. TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED AUTO WARRANTY. MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT AND IS REPLACED, THEN DRIVER HEADLIGHT GOES OUT. WATER LEAKS INSIDE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WHEN IT RAINS. THE TAIL PLUG IN FOR TAIL LIGHT BULB HAD GOTTEN SO HOT IT HAD MELTED THE PLUG IN BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. RANDOM ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS OCCURRING. DASH PANEL BURNED OUT, RADIO DISPLAY BLED OUT AND RADIO THEN FAILED - WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER BUTTON WAS PUSHED AND HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE DASHBOARD IN ORDER TO AVOID DRAINING BATTERY COMPLETELY. TRACTION TIRE FAILURE WHEN ENGAGED OCCURRED IN COMBINATION WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE, CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, AND ON ONE OCCASION COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. NO WARNING, NO SQUEALING, NO GRINDING, NO PULLING TO THE SIDE: JUST COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT THAT INJURED 3 PEOPLE. NON DEALERSHIP MECHANIC CHECKED THE BRAKES AND DETERMINED BRAKE FLUID LEAK/MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED THE FAILURE, STATED REGULATORY SYSTEM FOR BRAKE SYSTEM MOST LIKELY RESULTED IN LEAK. MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BRAKE HAD SEIZED AND SCOURED THE ROUTER AND PAD ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL. BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED TWO YEARS PRIOR AND CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN BUT FOR ONCE A MONTH SHORT TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR FOR ONE OF THOSE YEARS, THE SECOND YEAR IT WAS DRIVEN ONLY 3 OR 4 TIMES AND WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AUTO ACCIDENT IN MAY 2010 DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE DID NOT HAVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN REAR END COLLISION. CAR WAS BROADSIDED ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE IN 2007 AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND AIR BAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY. INJURIES IN BOTH ACCIDENTS. CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE OCT 2005, PURCHASED USED FROM A SATURN DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A GAS TANK RECALL, HOWEVER WE WERE NOTIFIED NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER WE HAD A RUPTURE THAT DROPPED AN ENTIRE TANK OF FUEL ON THE DRIVEWAY AND WERE TOLD WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE HAVING DRIVEN UNKNOWINGLY WITH THIS LEAK. TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED AUTO WARRANTY. MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT AND IS REPLACED, THEN DRIVER HEADLIGHT GOES OUT. WATER LEAKS INSIDE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WHEN IT RAINS. THE TAIL PLUG IN FOR TAIL LIGHT BULB HAD GOTTEN SO HOT IT HAD MELTED THE PLUG IN BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. RANDOM ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS OCCURRING. DASH PANEL BURNED OUT, RADIO DISPLAY BLED OUT AND RADIO THEN FAILED - WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER BUTTON WAS PUSHED AND HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE DASHBOARD IN ORDER TO AVOID DRAINING BATTERY COMPLETELY. TRACTION TIRE FAILURE WHEN ENGAGED OCCURRED IN COMBINATION WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE, CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, AND ON ONE OCCASION COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. NO WARNING, NO SQUEALING, NO GRINDING, NO PULLING TO THE SIDE: JUST COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT THAT INJURED 3 PEOPLE. NON DEALERSHIP MECHANIC CHECKED THE BRAKES AND DETERMINED BRAKE FLUID LEAK/MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED THE FAILURE, STATED REGULATORY SYSTEM FOR BRAKE SYSTEM MOST LIKELY RESULTED IN LEAK. MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BRAKE HAD SEIZED AND SCOURED THE ROUTER AND PAD ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL. BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED TWO YEARS PRIOR AND CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN BUT FOR ONCE A MONTH SHORT TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR FOR ONE OF THOSE YEARS, THE SECOND YEAR IT WAS DRIVEN ONLY 3 OR 4 TIMES AND WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AUTO ACCIDENT IN MAY 2010 DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE DID NOT HAVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN REAR END COLLISION. CAR WAS BROADSIDED ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE IN 2007 AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND AIR BAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY. INJURIES IN BOTH ACCIDENTS. CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN SHE LEANED OVER THE SEAT. THE FAILURE MADE A VERY LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER, BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE AIR BAG HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE LOUD NOISE FROM THE AIR BAG, HER HEARING HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY RESTORED. SHE HAS NOT YET BEEN TREATED FOR THIS CONDITION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ

Mileage: 80,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH ON DRY ROADS THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO AN IMPROPER TURN BY OTHER VEHICLE. SINCE THE SHOULDER BELT DID NOT HOLD THE CONTACT IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE FACIAL LACERATIONS. THE INJURIES REQUIRED STITCHES, AND CAUSED SEVERE BRUISING. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN, AND THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. UPDATED 05/30/06. *AK

Mileage: 66,000

A RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG WAS ISSUED. THE DEALER STATED THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V051000. *TC

Mileage: 26,000

2004 PONTIAC MONTANA ROLLED OVER TWICE IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. IT WAS HIT FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR. NO AIRBAGS, FRONT OR SIDE, DEPLOYED. *AK

2004 PONTIAC MONTANA ROLLED OVER TWICE IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. IT WAS HIT FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR. NO AIRBAGS, FRONT OR SIDE, DEPLOYED. *AK

DURING A VEHICLE COLLISION/ROLL OVER AT 55 MPH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR FACE INJURIES. *AK

Mileage: 10,000