Problems with 2008 Chevrolet Equinox AIR BAGS

Passenger air bags did not work, doesn't even acknowledge a passenger. light is always on to service airbags. also my stabil control lights come on then go off. a couple months or even longer, they come on again. i have had them checked out. the passenger air bags sensor was replace at a cost of $900.00 andstabil control lights repair was $350 and continue to have problems . also both my headlights are full of moisture and i continue to have to replace the bulbs, after replacing one bulb that night was pulled over by the police , bulb burned out again.i talked to the dealer no recalls on any of the problems and i know a lot of people with gmc products having the same problems. *tr

I own a 2008 chevy equinox. i am having the same complaints. my service air bag come on and off intermittently. when its warm outside the passenger air bag seems to work fine. the passenger side door lock works intermittently as well. the funny thing is the door lock seems to work better in the winter months. also, i have experienced my service stabilitrak and traction control light come on intermittently as well. it doesn't seem to affect the vehicle when i am driving. it will stay on for a couple of days then one day it will be gone. it will stay off from a few weeks to a few months. then it will start the process all over again. i am very disappointed with chevy. i purchased it because chevy is supposed to be reliable regardless of the miles and now i am afraid to put my children in it and drive it out of town. all this started happening around the 100,00 mile mark i am now at 110,000. *tr

Passenger air bags don't work, doesn't even acknowledge a passenger. light is always on to service airbags. also my stabil control lights come on then go off. a couple months or even longer, they come on again. i have had them checked out. find nothing. also both my headlights are full of moisture and i continue to have to replace the bulbs which are a pain to get to. i had a blazer that did the same thing with the headlights and taillights. *tr

Problems with my veh. covers a long period and has worsen over time, first the (tpms) tire pressure monitoring system went bad, then the temperature gauge went out of serv., then the air bag sensor on front pass. side worked when it wanted. now the front pass door does not lock or unlock unless manually, now the driver window does not operate up or down, and till now only once the car keys were stuck in the ignition. have checked with gm recall list that seem to have some of the problems i have but my 2008 equinox is not on it. this electrical malfunction can only get worse. what's next to go.

Passenger presence sensor goes on and off with a full size adult in the passenger seat. the service airbag light will come on and stay on. apparently this was also an issue with the 2007 model that gm recalled, but failed to fix the problem when building future cars and never recalled newer models to fix the problem. extreme safety hazard. dealership wants to replace the majority of the system as they are unsure what is causing the fault even though you can wiggle in the seat and get the sensor to activate and as a result the system will work. wiggle again and the system will shut off and the service air bags light will return. anyone see a pattern in gm ignoring critical safety violations? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that when the passenger's seat was occupied, the air bag warning indicator would illuminate sporadically. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000. updated 11-04-13 *bf updated 11/8/2013 *js

Passenger airbag sensor failure. vehicle only has 55,000k. will not register passengers over 110lbs. had to replace entire sensor ($903.24). chevrolet would not replace citing "outside of warranty." this is a critical safety feature that should never fail. *tr

My 2008 chevy equinox has had the airbag error light on the console intermittently on for several months. now it is just on. currently has 47k miles on it so out of warranty. the said the sensor unit under the passenger seat needs to be replaced which mean replacing that whole seat cushion over $800, the part is over $500. with this airbag error light on the airbags will not activate on impact so this is a safety risk. why would this not be part of a recall since i read the 2007's have the same problem. there has been no damage to that seat, this is faulty equipment. *tr

Service air bag light is on and constant, preventing passenger air bag function. retrieved codes are: b0081, b1370 and b0074. needs passenger presence module part # 19207140 @ $533.33 plus labor and tax. i believe this part should not fail, especially when the passenger seat is used infrequently. *tr

Read out on dash, flashes " service air bag soon " this has happened multiple times when first starting the car.i am reporting this because of the current recall on some vehicles and the worry that the air bags may deploy on their own. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that upon inspection, the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated intermittently and the service air bag message appeared on the dashboard. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and the mechanic stated that the air bag control module had to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 100,000. the current mileage was 103,000. updated 11/15/13*cn

Air bag on passenger seat would work and not work and has now completely stopped working. door locks on front will not lock electronically. have to manually lock the front doors at all times. stabilizer track stays off. use to come and no and now will not come back on. *tr

First incident, steering failure. service stabilitrack warning appeared and steering went out making it almost impossible to steer. took to dealership who stated steering module went out and replaced at my own cost. very dangerous to loose steering control while driving. entire steering and interior control module was also replaced a second time. dealer stated it was normal for this to wear out and need replaced. service stabilitrack warning still continues to come on occasionally. took to dealership again and they said they could not find any issue. hopefully the steering will not go out this time while i am going down a major highway at higher speeds. have also continuously experienced issues with water in the vehicle. can hear the water sloshing around. water in the headlights making it difficult to see at night. door locks only work intermittently. car was involved in an accident, front end collision and air bags did not deploy. serious safety risk. *tr

Airbag warning light on dash lights up intermittently.... took to mechanic...states passenger presence module defective....multiple complaints noted on line for same issue...recall of 2007?? why not make them recall 2008, as seat belt on passenger side off when light on...could be serious injury to passenger....dealer says $800 to replace.... *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that the ignition was defective and prevented the key from releasing from the ignition. the contact had to move the steering wheel to the left and right in order to release the key from the ignition. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number 14v047000 (air bags, electrical system. the failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 38,000. updated 05/28/14 ma

Passenger side airbag sensor, located within the front passenger seat cushion, has failed. the airbag indicator would intermittently show the airbag to be off, now constant. error light on dash indicates the airbag is disabled and off. the vehicle was purchased new and is 5 years old with average mileage. the passenger seat rarely occupied and not subject to any weight or wear that would damage this vital sensor. this appears to be defective or worn out prematurely. there is no bypass to ensure airbag inflation in a frontend collision when the seat sensor fails. the vehicle is well maintained and has not been in any accidents. *tr

Passenger airbag sensor is malfunctioning. for years the airbag light has been consistently displayed, or goes off and on depending on whether or not there is a passenger, and is a safety concern. occupants have no security of knowing whether or not the airbag will deploy if involved in an accident.

Service airbag lights up in the dash and the passenger side airbag light goes off. i have taken it to the dealership and have gotten no satisfaction. i was told since it goes back off after a while i have to wait until it stays on to know exactly which sensor has went bad because it is an out of pocket expense. *tr

Passenger side air bag does not work when there's a child or person under 110 lbs in the seat. headlights fill up with water. *tr

The passenger seat airbag does not work when the person in the passenger seat is under 110 lbs. my grand son is only 10 years old and i'm afraid to let him sit in the passenger seat cause the airbag doesn't work when him or any light weight person sits in the seat.i have brought it to the chevrolet dealer and they can't or won't spend the money to replace the seat sensor in the seat which they say is the problem. *tr

Airbag sensor - service airbag is illuminated for no reason. multiple owners have the same issues, yet warranty doesn't cover. *tr

Air bag will not come on sometime while seating in driver seat we are having a major problem with this system. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the power steering suddenly malfunctioned making the steering wheel very difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering was faulty. the vehicle was repaired. on another occasion, the contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary a second vehicle crashed into the front end of the vehicle. the seat belts malfunctioned and the air bags failed to deploy. the contact sustained injuries to the neck, hand and knee. the front passenger suffered head, lung and rib injuries during the crash, and both required medical attention. a police report was filed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 50,000.

I purchased my chevrolet equinox brand new in 2008 and currently we are having issues with the following: 1- drivers side window- will only roll down and/or up intermittently. occasionally it will roll back up if the interior panel is hit several times. 2- door locks/alarm- the alarm will set but the doors will not lock with the key fob. when using the power locks inside the car, the drivers side door is the only door that will consistently lock. the back door locks will get stuck half way and won't lock or unlock except manually. 3- stabilitrac- the stabilitrac will disable randomly. it has happened while driving in dry conditions or wet conditions, on warm and cold days and also when the car is being started in the driveway. 4- airbags- the "service airbags" light will come on and go off for no reason. it will come on one day and be on for a week and then go off for a month or two and then come back on again. 5- drivers side headlight cover holds a lot of moisture 6- check tire pressure comes on quite a bit for no reason. all tire pressures are double checked and are at the perfect pressure recommended by gm. *tr

My 2008 chevy equinox has had the airbag error light on the console intermittently on for several months. now it is just on. paid $124 to have it look at the dealership i purchased it from, currently has 55k miles on it so out of warranty. the said the sensor unit under the passenger seat needs to be replaced which mean replacing that whole seat cushion over $800, the part is over $500. with this airbag error light on the airbags will not activate on impact so this is a safety risk. why would this not be part of a recall since i read the 2007s have the same problem. there has been no damage to that seat, this is faulty equipment. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that the passenger air bag sensor in the passenger seat did not identify that a passenger was sitting in the seat. this caused the passenger side air bag light to illuminate and the passenger side air bag would not to deploy in the event of a crash. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer for a diagnostic test. the dealer could not identify the issue. the contact stated that the air bag light illuminated intermittently. the failure mileage was 32,000.

Driving down the interstate and warning light came on that passenger airbag was not on which was odd since my 250 lb husband was in the seat. never has worked right since. it says no one in seat and air bag not on when there is someone in seat or visa versa. i believe this is a huge safety issue more so now that my teenage daughter is driving this vehicle. *tr

Air bag light continues to state that it is off when passenger is sitting in passenger front seat. passenger weighs 115 +lbs. seems to be faulty sensor as sometimes it works correctly and the next it does not. should be a recall on this as there are plenty of complaints reguarding this issue. *tt

Was involved in a mva and driver was traveling 50-60mph when her car hit the front end driver side and air bag failed to deploy. since then air bag sensor turns on and off when there is a passenger in the seat . passenger weighing over 130 lbs. this is a big safety hazard and is scary to think that this car has yet to be recalled!! will the air bag go off next time something like that happens again??!! gm is wrong for recalling every other vehicle but this one!! power locks do not unlock or lock ever! i always have to manually lock and unlock each one. safety issue again! and last but not least, there is an electrical issue causing everything in the car to go out every month or two. recall this car before someone else gets injured. *tr

Where do i begin?!?!!?! after multiple failed attempts of the dealer trying to fix the tire pressure monitor system/stabilitrack lights are still on and still ding! tires are double checked regularly. passenger air bag only comes on when it wants to, weather the person weighs 70lbs or 250lbs. the key sometimes gets stuck in the ignition won't turn or come out, i usually give up fighting it and forget about it for awhile then it magically works. none of the doors will lock or unlock with the fob or electric button inside, key fob only sets the alarm on/off, so i have to manually lock and unlock all the doors. which is a a pain with three kids, not only that but makes me feel very unsafe traveling with the kids in the car. i am a single mom and bought this car believing it would be safe and reliable. i'm about ready to push it off a cliff. how many more complaints will you ignore, causing a fatal accident, before something is done about this?!?! i will not be investing in another gm vehicle that's for sure! should of stuck with foreign!

Passenger air bag works intermittently with small people it never works. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. while the passenger seat was occupied, the air bag warning indicator illuminated, indicating that it was disabled. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing and it was confirmed that the passenger side seat sensor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

At first, the passenger airbag light would turn on and off intermittently and an airbag warning would come on my dash. now, it is on all the time. this concerns me as i frequently have a passenger in my front seat and the airbag might not deploy correctly if i get in a crash. there are a ton of complaints on here and the same issue is happening on the 2007 model, which has been recalled. why has this not been recalled yet on the 2008 model?!

The pressure sensor in the passenger seat has failed. a warning light on the dashboard to service airbag is illuminated, and the passenger airbag has been turned off due to the failure of the sensor. *tr

I took my 2008 chevy equinox to the dealer because the service airbag light was on. it was determined that the roof rail module needed replacement at a cost of $1,475. i had to rent a car for $175 and leave equinox for repair when the gm tech told me the equinox was dangerous to drive because the airbags would not deploy in an accident. upon completion, the service airbag light was off and the passenger airbag light displayed on as my 115lb daughter was in the passenger seat. half way home, passenger air bag light switched to off. would the airbag have deployed in an accident now that the sensor wasn't detecting anyone in the passenger seat? most likely not. sometimes the passenger light is on and then it goes off. sometimes it never senses a passenger at all. i have contacted gm corporate office and they will not rectify the problem. they want to give a $2,000 loyalty certificate to purchase a new gm vehicle within a year. i can't afford to purchase a new vehicle. per gm corporate, this $1,475 repair is routine maintenance. this contradicts the certified gm tech who told me this shouldn't be happening. he said it had nothing to do with the mileage or maintenance of the vehicle. a quality vehicle & the safety of their customers is of no concern to gm. i've had this issue for a year now since the passenger presence module was replaced in september 2011 at a cost of $545. bob bell chevy bel air can't replicate the problem so therefore deemed there is no problem. i can't have anyone sit in the passenger seat due to this defective airbag system. there are many complaints about the equinox on this same issue. in fact, 2007 equinox was recalled for similar airbag issues. i have requested a full refund from gm but they refuse. i am concerned for my safety and my children's safety. replacing air bag modules & sensors is not routine maintenance that i should be forced to bear. *tr

Service airbag light would come on for days and go off for days and continued doing this for a month till we took it to the dealership. problem was right front seat module shorted out and was replaced. module kit 14.865 (part fp 19207140) total cost of repair was $416.75. at this time, there are no recalls for this problem on this model per gm. i do have a file number with gm and they will notify me should there be a recall. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. while driving approximately 70 mph the traction control light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle began to spin out of control and it crashed into a wall. the air bags did not deploy. the passengers of the vehicle sustained bruises but were not severely injured. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the an auto body shop. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle should be taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 34,000. rvk

Does not recognize passenger, and airbag is "off". this has happened beginning first day vehicle was purchased, and intermittently since. problem appears to be getting worse, as it usually does not recognize adult passenger of less than about 150 lbs. most recent trip a few days ago with three adults of medium size had problems with none of occupants being recognized by sensor, even when properly seated and buckled. literature states passengers of over about 100 lbs should be recognized. we have also found that it sometimes spontaneously shuts airbag "off" when traveling down the road, leading to concern that this essential safety feature may not work when needed in a crash. we have found it necessary to pull off the road, shut off engine and wait several minutes before restarting engine to activate passenger airbag. sometimes multiple attempts are needed, and passenger has had to move to rear seat when activation failed. it always recognizes a larger adult passenger, but typical passenger is of medium size. this is a completely unacceptable situation from a safety standpoint. gm position is that it is not covered under standard warranty, and our research shows repair cost to be substantial. research has turned up other customers having same issue with same vehicle. if a recall were to be called for, customers would not have to bear this high cost. *tr

My 2008 chevy equinox has been messing up with the airbag sensor! i took it to get it checked and was charge $50 dollars and then they told me it was the module that had gone bad and it would cost me like $600 to fix that's just ridiculous. they should have a recall on this since ive read a lot of people having the same issue with the 08 equinox. *kb

The passenger side airbag light began turning off and on intermittently turning the passenger airbag on and off while displaying a service airbag message on the instrument panel. after a few months the passenger side airbag just remains off at all times still displaying the service airbag message. this is with a 120 pound woman or a 170 pound man sitting in the seat. from what i understand the 2007 equinox was recalled for the same reason why is this one not being recalled? *tr

The "service air bag" light would come on and go off and had been doing it for quite some time. carried it to the dealer and was told the passenger side grid and module would have to be replaced and would cost $486.00. i started checking and found the '07 model had a recall for the same problem. it appears the '08 still has the problem. why is there not a recall on it? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated the passenger side air bag light began to illuminate constantly. the air bag light indicated a faulty passenger side air bag. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and they were unable to detect an error code to determine why the air bag light illuminated. the contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the air bag malfunction. the failure mileage was 34,400.

My vehicle is a 2008 chevy equinox. the passenger air bag sensor will not activate the device when my 150 to 165 lb wife is sitting in the vehicle. i have taken it to the dealer twice, they advise the system is functioning normally, as it was designed, and that my wife does not weigh enough to activate the "on" function of the air bag. this seems unsafe, and unreasonable to me. id like to file a complaint, and ask, does this violate nhtsa safety standards? does the nhtsa research support that a 110 lb adult should not have airbag protection? ive noticed similar complaints on your website for this issue. it will going in for the second time...lets see how it works now. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

2008 chevy equinox passenger presence sensor system is defective. it was recalled on the 2007's but not the 2008's even though the exact same issue persists. there are thousands of complaints about this issue but gm will not recall it. this is a critical safety issue as the airbag will never deploy as the sensor and/or pressure mat is defective. the "service airbag" light is always on. this is about a $1,000 charge at a dealer that is due to an electrical defect. they admitted on the 2007's and should be forced to fix the 2008's also. light has been on for 40,000 miles waiting for the recall.

Passenger side airbag seat sensor does not work when someone that weighs 130lbs is sitting in the passenger seat. gm will not acknowledge that there is a problem with the airbag sensor on this vehicle. the chevy dealership said that *i* would have to pay to have the problem fixed because it's out of warranty. this is the same exact problem that the 2007 equinox's had, which were recalled. it would seem to me that gm should have a recall on this vehicle since it is obviously a factory defect and could cause serious injury or death to someone if i were to get into an accident. this problem clearly violates fmvss standard number 208!

The passenger side airbag light began displaying intermittently turning the passenger airbag on and off while displaying a service airbag message on the instrument panel. after several months the passenger side airbag now remains off at all times still displaying the service airbag message. this is with a 200 pound man sitting in the passenger seat. turning off and restarting the engine no longer clears the problem. my understanding is that the 2007 equinox was recalled for the same reason so why aren't the 2008 models not being included in the recall? also, after someone mentioned that their equinox had the same problem i started asking other owners. apparently it is fairly common and i guess a source of income for gm. one woman told me the chevy tech told her that air bag problems were common after 45,000 miles and was considered a routine repair. dealer wants $500 plus to repair. as long as dealers are telling people this is a routine repair no one is going to report it as a problem. also, the front right tire pressure indicator constantly reads 15 pounds when two separate manual air gauges show 37 psi. in addition, the electronic stability control message comes on periodically even when parked. driving is difficult until it clears which is also after a restart. *tr

While driving a 2008 chevy equinox, it was noticed passenger side airbag was not operating, it has operated when the vehicle was new then spontaneously quite, failure is intermittent in nature , the consequences could be serious injury or death of passenger. passenger side has a presence detection module and may or may not detect someone who weighs around 112 lbs. this violates federal law safety standard number208, occupant crash protection, chevrolet has refused to confirm that there is a problem, and yes the same problem that affects 2007 models and early production 2008 models. *tr

My 2008 equinox headlights are full of water which make the visibility at night very bad. the door locks will only open the locks part of the way and you can't get in the car, and this seems to be affected more when the sun shines on the vehicle. it acts like the locks won't work in the heat. i also have the passenger air bag light coming on anytime someone sits in the passenger seat. i have been told by the dealership that the air bag will not deploy in an accident. this is such a comforting feeling, and i really don't understand why these issues are not recalled by the auto maker. can anyone help us? there are thousands of these vehicles on the road that are not safe......... *tr

My vehicle is a 2008 chevy equinox. the passenger air bag sensor will not activate the device when my 107 to 110 lb wife is sitting in the vehicle. i have taken it to the dealer twice, they advise the system is functioning normally, as it was designed, and that my wife does not weigh enough to activate the "on" function of the air bag. this seems unsafe, and unreasonable to me. i'd like to file a complaint, and ask, does this violate nhtsa safety standards? does the nhtsa research support that a 110 lb adult should not have airbag protection? i've noticed similar complaints on your website for this issue. thanks. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that the passenger's side air bag would not activate when the passenger's seat was occupied. the air bag ready light should have illuminated when the seat was occupied but failed to do so. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that they could not duplicate the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 33,911.