The defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND MINI VANS, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A PASSENGER AIR BAG THAT WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A CHECK VALVE PIN. AN AIR BAG WITHOUT THE CHECK VALVE PIN COULD PRODUCE INCREASED PRESSURE AT THE ONSET OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND REDUCED PRESSURE AFTERWARD.
The risk
THIS COULD INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF INJURY TO A PERSON WHO WAS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND WHO WAS CLOSE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AT THE TIME OF DEPLOYMENT. IT COULD ALSO REDUCE THE AB8ILITY OF THE AIR BAG TO PROTECT A RESTRAINED FRONT SEAT PASSENGER.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 16, 2002. 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, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537, OR SATURN AT 1-800-553-6000, PROMPT #3.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Lumina | 2001, 2002 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1999 |
| Chevrolet Venture | 2001 |
| Oldsmobile Silhouette | 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 Lumina | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1999 | 125 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Venture | 2001 | 222 | 9 |
| Oldsmobile Silhouette | 2001 | 78 | 6 |
| 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 2002
20 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the air bags; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 02V323000 9 Dec 2002 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V308000 14 Nov 2002 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
| 02V293000 7 Nov 2002 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 02V275000 9 Oct 2002 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 02V222000 9 Aug 2002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 02V213001 9 Aug 2002 | AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. |
| 02V213000 9 Aug 2002 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
| 02V223000 9 Aug 2002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002