The 2003 Pontiac Vibe has 16 recalls, dominated by a serious passenger-side frontal airbag defect where the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, potentially causing serious injury or death.
The airbag concerns span several related issues. The inflator itself can build excessive pressure and burst, scattering metal fragments toward occupants. Separately, the airbag control circuits can develop an internal short that causes the front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to fire without a crash, which can startle the driver and cause a collision. Two recalls address vehicles where a prior repair attempt installed an incorrect replacement airbag that may not unfold or inflate properly in a crash, meaning the fix itself introduced a new risk. Some of the airbag inflator recalls specifically cover vehicles in high-humidity regions, where heat and moisture cycling can degrade the propellant and cause the airbag to deploy with greater force than intended.
On the chassis side, 2WD models have a separate recall for hub-to-axle bolts that can loosen and break, allowing a wheel to detach from the vehicle entirely while driving.
The remaining recall involves the front side windows, where loose regulator bolts can cause a loud noise when the window is raised or lowered but do not pose a direct safety risk.
At a glance
What can fail
The replacement front passenger air bag may not unfold correctly during inflation in high temperature conditions, potentially failing to inflate properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the passenger air bag module at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
At a glance
What can fail
Some vehicles repaired under a previous airbag recall may have an incorrect passenger-front airbag installed, which could tear or fail to inflate properly during a crash.
What the fix does
GM will mail you instructions to visit a dealer who will inspect the passenger-front airbag assembly and replace it if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture and heat exposure can degrade the passenger airbag propellant over time, causing the airbag to deploy with excessive force. This may fragment the airbag and reduce its effectiveness in a crash.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the passenger frontal airbag module.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator can explode during a crash due to propellant breakdown over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator or the entire air bag assembly with a new one, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front airbag inflator may build up excessive pressure during deployment, causing it to rupture and send fragments toward occupants, or damage the airbag module and prevent full deployment.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger airbag assembly with one that has a newly specified inflator.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front airbag inflator may build up too much pressure when deploying. This excessive pressure could rupture the inflator, sending metal fragments at occupants, or prevent the airbag from deploying properly during a crash.
What the fix does
No remedy description available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger side front air bag inflator may develop excessive internal pressure, causing it to rupture when the air bag deploys.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag with a corrected unit.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator can rupture during a crash when the air bag deploys, potentially causing injury.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Electrical noise can damage the air bag control module, causing front air bags, side air bags, and seatbelt pretensioners to deploy unexpectedly while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag control module at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The airbag control module can malfunction and trigger the front airbag(s) and/or seatbelt pretensioner(s) without a crash, startling the driver and potentially causing a crash or minor injuries to occupants.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the airbag control module and may install an in-line jumper wiring harness to fix the problem.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front airbag inflator may build up excessive pressure during deployment, causing it to rupture. This can send metal fragments toward occupants and damage the airbag module, preventing full airbag deployment in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger airbag inflator with a new one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger airbag inflator may build up too much pressure when the airbag deploys. This can cause the inflator to rupture and send fragments toward passengers, or damage the airbag module and prevent proper deployment in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger airbag inflator and replace it if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The airbag control module circuits can short internally, causing excessive heat and abnormal current flow that may trigger unintended deployment of front airbags and seat belt pretensioners.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the airbag control module with a new one at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The airbag and seatbelt pretensioner systems may deploy suddenly without a crash, startling the driver and potentially causing loss of control.
What the fix does
Dealers will install an in-line jumper wiring harness to correct the supplemental restraint system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts holding the front side window glass to the power window regulator can loosen, causing noise when operating the window. If continued, the bolts may separate, misaligning the glass or causing it to shatter.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the flange bolts that attach the window glass to the regulator.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts connecting the wheel hub to the axle may be loose, potentially causing them to break and separate the wheel from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specification.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
