Which Pontiac Vehicles Have Dangerous Takata Airbags?

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The propellent Takata used is exploding with such force that it's ripping the inflators into tiny metal fragments and shooting them in the direction of vehicle occupants. To make matters worse, the inflators are exploding in low-speed accidents with very little impact.

Which Pontiac Vehicles Have Been Recalled?

Other GM vehicles with recalled Takata inflators include Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Pontiac, Saab, and Saturn.

What are Zones?

Some Takata recalls are being broken down into what NHTSA calls "zones". A zone is a group of states and territories where a vehicle was originally sold or registered at some point in time. A few notes about zones:

  1. A vehicle can be recalled in more than one zone.
  2. When no zone is defined, the recall was more widespread. Possibly internationally.
  3. If you find this all very confusing, you're not alone my friend.

So, here we go:

  • Zone A: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Zone B: Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
  • Zone C: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Take Action

Takata inflators have been linked to 11 deaths in the USA, so far.

Owners of these vehicles are urged to call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit this site for more information.

"Consumers that are uncertain whether their vehicle is impacted by the Takata recalls, or any other recall, can contact their manufacturer’s website to search, by their vehicle identification number (VIN) to confirm whether their individual vehicle has an open recall that needs to be addressed."

Generations Where This Problem Has Been Reported

This problem has popped up in the following Pontiac generations.

Most years within a generation share the same parts and manufacturing process. You can also expect them to share the same problems. So while it may not be a problem in every year yet, it's worth looking out for.

  1. 1st Generation Vibe

    Years
    2003–2008
    Reliability
    15th of 27
    PainRank
    5.39
    Complaints
    104
    Continue Front 3/4 view of a Vibe
  2. 2nd Generation Vibe

    Years
    2009–2010
    Reliability
    9th of 27
    PainRank
    3.77
    Complaints
    34
    Continue Front 3/4 view of a Vibe

OK, Now What?

Maybe you've experienced this problem. Maybe you're concerned you will soon. Whatever the reason, here's a handful of things you can do to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.

  1. File Your Complaint

    CarComplaints.com is a free site dedicated to uncovering problem trends and informing owners about potential issues with their cars. Major class action law firms use this data when researching cases.

    Add a Complaint
  2. Notify CAS

    The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) is a pro-consumer organization that researches auto safety issues & often compels the US government to do the right thing through lobbying & lawsuits.

    Notify The CAS
  3. Report a Safety Concern

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the US agency with the authority to conduct vehicle defect investigations & force recalls. Their focus is on safety-related issues.

    Report to NHTSA