YearToAvoid

2009 Pontiac G8 Airbags Problems

NHTSA has 69 owner complaints about airbag problems in the 2009 Pontiac G8, 48% of all 144 complaints for this model year. That is the highest airbag complaint count among 3 G8 model years. These complaints report 4 crashes and 4 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 56,000 miles.

Airbags complaints
69
48% of 144
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
4
Median mileage
56,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2009 Pontiac G8 airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 2, 2009, latest Jan 4, 2022.

2009 Pontiac G8 airbags complaints: complaints filed per quarter72009 Q12012 Q22014 Q12015 Q22016 Q32018 Q12020 Q2
69 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q1 to 2022 Q1; peak 2014 Q2 (7).

Airbags recalls for the 2009 Pontiac G8

  1. NHTSA 11V534000Nov 4, 2011Airbags38,444 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 pontiac g8 vehicles manufactured from november 2, 2007 through january 22, 2009. A 5th percentile female anthropomorphic test device (atd) in a 30 mph frontal barrier test exceeded the head injury criteria (hic) requirements of the standard. With the front passenger seat positioned full forward, the seat position sensor will cause a 30 milliseconds deployment delay between the first and second stages of the dual-stage frontal passenger air bag.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, this delay may result in increased head injury to certain front seat occupants.

    Remedy: Gm dealers will reprogram the sensing and diagnostic module free of charge. The safety recall began on november 30, 2011. Owners may contact pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.

Airbags complaints by G8 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200825 (35%)
  2. 200969 (48%)
  3. 20100 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Pontiac G8 have airbag problems?
NHTSA has 69 owner complaints about the airbag in the 2009 Pontiac G8, 48% of all complaints for this model year, including 4 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 56,000 miles.
Which Pontiac G8 year has the most airbag complaints?
The 2009 Pontiac G8 has the most airbag complaints (69), compared with 69 for the 2009.
Is there a airbag recall for the 2009 Pontiac G8?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Pontiac G8 concerns the airbag: 11V534000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.