Air Bag Not Deploy problems of the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado

Eight problems related to air bag not deploy have been reported for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado. The most recently reported issues are listed below.

1 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 03/23/2006

Direct frontal impact with side of car that ran red light. Air bag did not deploy. Speed was approximately 40-50 mph.

2 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 06/24/2005

The contact's vehicle was pulling a trailer. When he applied brake pressure the vehicle failed to stop before striking another vehicle in the rear end. There was damage to both vehicles. However, no one was injured. A police report was taken at the scene. He took the vehicle to the dealer. A manufacturer's representative inspected the vehicle. Collected crash data from the vehicle computer, which indicated when brake pressure was applied the vehicle accelerated. The dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. The contact traded the vehicle after the accident. The air bags failed to deploy. Updated 03/09/06.

3 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 08/14/2004

While driving 55 mph consumer's vehicle was involved in a front collision. Upon impact, dual air bags did not deploy. Driver sustained head injuries due to his head hitting the steering wheel. The Chevrolet testers came to inspect the vehicle. They concluded that the impact was not hard enough nor was the vehicle going fast enough for the air bag to deploy.

4 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 06/25/2004

I purchased a new Chevrolet Silverado truck on 8/15/2003. I drove it 15,000 miles and the transmission went out and was replaced. On another trip returning from denver to durango I was driving on a mountain road when the back wheels suddenly, without warning locked up. This caused the truck to go into an uncontrolled skid and I crashed into the side of the mountain. The truck bounced back into the road and almost forced other cars off the highway. The opposite side of the highway was very steep with no guardrail. Had I skidded that direction, I would have tumbled some 200 feet or more. To add to this the airbags did not deploy upon direct frontal impact with the mountain. All of this information was noted in the colorado highway patrol accident report # 908fzeh21p. General motors has accepted responsibility but 10+ weeks later has not replaced the totaled truck!.

5 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 01/24/2004

While driving 25 mph the vehicle was involved in a frontal collision. Upon impact, the front air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained neck and back injuries.

6 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 01/24/2004

While driving at 65 mph on the highway, the driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a frontal collision. The vehicle went into an embankment. Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries. Broken sternum, spine and ribs. The consumer was wearing his seat belt. The sdm crash down load from the crash was sent to odi with pictures of the vehicle. Cw.

7 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

Failure Date: 05/25/2003

Air bags not deploying on a new chevy Silverado pick-up/ following a vehicle crash. Driver was injured, and scarred. Was hospitlized and still having problems and will have a lifetime scar on face area. Also legs and thighs are scarred. Our son was traveling at a high rate of speed passing, lost control went off highway head on into deep ditch, flipped over, went side to side coming to rest sideways on tires that were now flat and still no airbag deployment. Sent a complaint and pictures, police report and medical records to gm, no satisfaction from there. What does a vehicle have to have done to have an airbag deploy???? vehicle was totaled. Son is permantly scarred, and parents have lost faith in chevy trucks, and airbags. His older brother CO-signed so he would have a "new, safer" vehicle and am now so very upset with gm as to an explanation as to why these air bags did not deploy to protect our son. This vehicle (he was speeding passing) went off the road head on into a deep ditch, overturned several times, hit side to side in ditch, flattened tires and came to rest on shoulder of road. Now how much more does it take to deploy an air bag???? I think if we were wealthy and could afford a lawyer they maybe would of listened and checked this more, but as we are just "common" hard working us citizens, we don't really count. Also our son was drinking at the time of the incident, ( should not matter to safety of vehicle equipment) I was told it was not "catastropic enough" of an accident to warrent any damages. ?? then they tried to say the "accident" (meaning vehicle) wasn't. I think we all know what they meant. We were not looking for "millions" (stretching it), just his medical bills and the problem corrected in other chevy's so this would not happen to someone else. As usual the honest people, and hard working middle class can get no help. Prayers go out to anyone else this has happened to and that it won't happen to someone else's child.

8 Air Bag Not Deploy problem

The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at highway speed. Upon impact the passenger side air bag did not deployed. Manufacturer has been contacted. Please provide further information.


Other Air Bag related problems of the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado



Fuel Economy of Silverado Vehicles
Silverado Service Bulletins
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Silverado Defect Investigations