Air Bag Not Deploy problems of the 2008 Saturn Outlook

Service airbag light comes on at random. Even if a person is sitting in the passenger seat, the passenger seat airbag shows off. Took it to a dealer and they said that the passenger presence module needs replaced and would cost about $800. 00 to repair it and that the passenger side airbag would not deploy if was involved in a crash.

My service air bag light continues to come on for a period of time after having brought the car in for the recent air bag recall. I think it started after they did the last recall on the wiring harness connectors. Now, I am told that this is not related to the recall, but that the passenger presence module may need to be replaced. Code b0081. The cost to repair/replace is $780. I have seen many similar complaints online of this same problem. I believe this is a defect and an important safety concern. I was advised the passenger air bag may or may not deploy.

The passenger air bag indicator says "off" and / or an error "service airbag" comes on with a red symbol as well. The dealer indicates it is a defective passenger air bag seat sensor. The vehicle had a TSB for a air bag wiring harness in 2012 and this was done. I see many complaints and other recalls for gm on other vehicles for this issue. I was shocked that the standard warranty of 36,000 miles is all that is required for a critical safety system! emission components have more stringent requirements by law. . . . . This is very concerning, as it impacts passengers in my vehicle and is intermittent. It could cause the airbag not to deploy or to deploy with more force, killing a child in the seat.

My service air bag light continues to come on after having brought it in twice for the recent air bag recalls. Today I was told that it wasn't related to the recall, but that the passenger presence module needs to be replaced. The cost to repair/replace is over $900. I was told that because of this problem, the air bag may or may not deploy in the event of a crash. I have seen numerous accounts online of this same problem. I believe this is a defect and an important safety concern, not a typical repair such as brakes or needing new tires.

Service airbag notice is constantly on (dashboard message) and the passenger airbag off light is also constantly on. So in the event of a crash passenger airbag will not deploy. Dealer initially ordered a different part and misdiagnosed the problem requiring 3 different visits to the dealership. Service center now saying that the problem is the passenger presence sensor and quoting price to fix over $800.

I just left my 2008 Outlook xr at the dealer. According to them the problem are the tubes that drain the water from the sunroof. These tubes run inside the front and rear columns (on the sides the windshield in the front and the side columns on the back of the car). These tubes are not long enough to drive the water until the bottom of the car so the water will leak into the inner fuse block, will damp the carpets on the passenger and driver sides and make much more damage than you can believe. As the insulator between the carpet and the floor is like a sponge, it will absorb the water and soaks all the connectors that run below the insulator (cables that run from the battery, to the seats motors and heater, etc, etc). Not to mention that it may damage the airbag triggers mechanisms located on the columns besides the windshield?. Based on the number of complains about this issue at the internet, why nobody has done anything yet? what if the front sides airbag does not deploy as expected due to this rain inside the car????? NHTSA should seriously inquire gm for that as it may put many lives at risk. And not only to Saturn Outlook owners. The same is happening to GMC acadias and Buick enclaves. . . .

The problem starts with heavy rain leaking through the sun roof. According to the ed morse dealership representative, the sunroof is projected to pass some water (very few) that will drain through the drain tubes located at the front and rear columns (sides of the windshield). However, the tubes may get clogged an the water starts leaking inside the car through the columns were airbag are located. Nevertheless, these tubes are not long enough to drive the water until the bottom of the car so the water will leak into the inner fuse block, will damp the carpets on the passenger and driver sides and make much more damage than you can believe. As the insulator between the carpet and the floor is like a sponge, it will absorb the water and soaks all the connectors that run below the insulator (cables that run from the battery, to the seats motors and heater, etc, etc). Not to mention that it may damage the airbag triggers mechanisms located on the columns besides the windshieldâ?¦. Based on the number of complains about this issue at the internet, why nobody has done anything yet? what if the front sides airbag does not deploy as expected due to this rain inside the car????? NHTSA should seriously inquire gm for that as it may put many lives at risk. And not only to Saturn Outlook owners. The same is happening to GMC acadias and Buick enclaves. . . . There are many forums with such complain at the internet and in one of them a representative from gm ask us to contact her but I sent her 2 e-mails and so far I have no answer. Her e-mail is [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

There has not been an incident as of this writing. We took our 2008 Saturn Outlook in for an inspection due to the passenger air bag indicator was shown as off. I was told that if a person sits in the passenger seat and an accident were to occur, the air bag will not deploy! I was told that the problem was the passenger presence sensor and that it would cost approximately $1,200 to fix. Obviously this is a significant and potentially dangerous issue and judging from the number of complaints on this site, and on the web in general, that this is not covered by any recall at this time seems unbelievable and unfortunate. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. Updated 3/3/2015.

The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle became uncontrollable and hydro-planed. The contact crashed into a tree and the air bags failed to deploy. There were five children in the vehicle who sustained injuries from bruising, contusions and lacerations that required stitches. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage yard. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number 14v118000(air bags) that could have been related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000. . . Updated 04-29-14.

There was no incident yet. However, after I purchased the car I realized that the passenger air bag indicator continued to stay on the off position. I took the car into the dealership where they checked it out and confirmed that yes if someone sits in the passenger seat and I have an accident the air bag will not deploy. The dealership told me that it was the passenger presence sensor and that it was not covered on my warranty. They told me it would cost over 1,1000 dollars to fix, I called gm and they told me the same thing. It's funny that no one will look into this obviously dangerous problem. I have children and I can't be sure that they are safe in a vehicle I just purchased. I am so upset considering that Nissan just had a recall for the same issue. I am sure that I am not the only person who has this issue going on with their car. Please contact me if you have any solutions, or if you have any suggestions as to what I can do to insure my family is safe when I am in my car. Thank you very much for your consideration.

The passenger side seat sensor for the airbag intermittently does not recognize that a person is sitting there. In the case of an accident the airbag will not deploy. This has occurred randomly for several years. I see another complaint for this issue as well.

Want to pursue the "lemon law" on a 2008 Saturn Outlook. Vehicle has only 20k miles on it but has been to dealer 5x for repair of air bag system. The vehicle manual clearly states in the warranty that when the service air bag light comes on it needs to be serviced by the dealer. The issue is one of safety in that the air bags may not deploy when needed and/or can deploy without incident. Said vehicle was in 2x the month of April 2010, making it the 5th time for repairs on the air bag system. I no longer feel safe driving the car much less transporting other children under these circumstances.