2009 Chevrolet Impala airbags problems

Related recalls

• Recall 16V507000Jul 5, 2016289,254 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.

  Risk: If the wires are damaged, the passenger presence sensory system may fail to recognize that the passenger seat is occupied, disabling the air bag. Damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions. Both conditions increase the risk of injury during a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 36110.

What owners say

1. Filed Jun 8, 2026MOAirbags

   For the last 2 years, the car willl come up saying airbag system issues. There airbag sensor under the passenger side seat will randomly throw a code for the erorr and then turn off. It does not have to be a bump, move the seat, Just goes off. We have had it professionally scanned and it is always the same sensor with the issue. We noticed certian models had recalls but our was not on the list for some reason even though it fits all the other models with same issue. The cost…

   NHTSA complaint #11742721 · source
2. Filed Mar 27, 2026WVAirbagsElectrical System

   I believe the passenger seat occupant sensing and airbag issues from recall 16V507 have not been fixed. I am still having issues related to it, even though I had it fixed.

   NHTSA complaint #11727490 · source
3. Filed Feb 27, 2025101,000 miOHAirbags

   The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

   NHTSA complaint #11645235 · source
4. Filed May 15, 2023MNAirbags

   "Air Bag Malfunction light is on. There is a NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V507000 (Air Bags, Electrical System) which I am associating with the failure and it tends to happen at the 80,000 mile mark which this car is almost at. Why isn't this VIN included in the recall? It's a 2009 Chevy Impala. Shouldn't this recall capture all of the 2009 Chevy Impalas?

   NHTSA complaint #11522029 · source
5. Filed Jul 15, 202259,000 miNYAirbagsElectrical System

   The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the seat belt warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Passenger Presence sensor module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V507000 (Air Bags, Electrical System). The…

   NHTSA complaint #11474183 · source
6. Filed Jun 4, 2022MIAirbags

   The service airbag light comes on in the dash. Whether someone is in the passenger seat or not, the light came one and it stays on most of the time. I looked up recalls for my vin, and it wasn’t included in the previous recall. (recall number 36110 passenger presence sensor and instrument cluster) But it has the same issue as all of the other 2009 Chevrolet Impalas recalled for the same exact thing. I purchased this car in December 2020 from the state of Michigan so I am the…

   NHTSA complaint #11467498 · source
7. Filed Apr 8, 202280,000 miIAAirbags

   The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the warning message "Air Bag Malfunction" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a used car dealer where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s seat belt sensor had failed, causing the front passenger air bag malfunction. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V507000 (Air Bags, Electrical System) which she associated to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the local…

   NHTSA complaint #11460130 · source
8. Filed Sep 16, 2021102,000 miMNAirbags

   The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the warning light illuminated for a long period of time and then went away after the reset button on their instrumental panel was pressed. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately…

   NHTSA complaint #11433230 · source
9. Filed Jul 30, 202147,000 miMOAirbags

   The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the driver’s side air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to the local dealer and she was informed that the failure was due to a defective seat sensor wiring. The contact was given an estimate for the repair which she declined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was…

   NHTSA complaint #11427138 · source
10. Filed Jul 20, 2021MAAirbags

    I have taken my vehicle to Lannon-Woburn several time and they fix the airbag issue but it always turns back on????? Clearly there is an issue here.

    NHTSA complaint #11425682 · source
11. Filed Jun 10, 2021121,000 miGAAirbags

    The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the air bag warning light remained illuminated with the “service air bag" message displayed on the instrument panel. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed that the Vin was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 16V507000 (Air Bags, Electrical System). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the…

    NHTSA complaint #11420450 · source
12. Filed Apr 19, 2021OHAirbagsDriver Assistance & Safety TechOther / Unknown

    My dashboard says my seatbelt is off it says my airbag is off it has abs and tracking the lights in the dashboard everything comes on and goes off you have to see it in order to believe what i'm saying because i didn't took it to everyone and they keep telling me they can't do nothing about the airbag sensor and the other sensors could be anything

    NHTSA complaint #11412763 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology