The 1997 Pontiac Sunfire has 27 airbags complaints filed with NHTSA — 11% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.
27
Airbags complaints
11%
Share of year
13
Crash-involved
1
Related recalls
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. BECAUSE OF CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG'S SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD OCCUR IN A LOW SPEED CRASH OR WHEN AN OBJECT STRIKES THE FLOOR PAN.
Consequence
AIR BAGS DEPLOY WITH GREAT FORCE AND CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE UNRESTRAINED OCCUPANTS WHO ARE TOO CLOSE TO THEM.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL RECALIBRATE THE AIR BAG SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE.
“CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING IN A VERY BAD SNOW STORM AT APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MPH AND COMING DOWN AN INCLINE. TRYING TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CAR WAS TOTALLED. SEAT BELT WAS BEING WORN AT THE TIME. CONSUMER SUFFERED CHEST…”
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire airbags — 11% of all complaints filed for that model year.
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the airbags: 98V146000.
Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.
Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.