The defect
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.
The 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.
The 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.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Lumina | 2001 |
| Chevrolet Venture | 2001 |
| Pontiac Aztek | 2001 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 2001 |
| Pontiac Montana | 2001 |
| Saturn LS | 2001 |
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Lumina | 2001 | 21 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Venture | 2001 | 222 | 9 |
| Pontiac Aztek | 2001 | 216 | 5 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 2001 | 308 | 6 |
| Pontiac Montana | 2001 | 156 | 9 |
| Saturn LS | 2001 | 582 | 7 |
Other air bags recalls in 2001
14 of the 461 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2001 concerned the air bags; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 01V372000 11 Dec 2001 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 01V373000 5 Dec 2001 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 01V347000 6 Nov 2001 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY |
| 01V318000 3 Oct 2001 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 01V306000 25 Sept 2001 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 01V237000 20 Jul 2001 | EUROPA INTERNATIONAL, INC. |
| 01V222000 2 Jul 2001 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
| 01V168000 18 May 2001 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2001