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2016 Chevrolet Trax airbags problems
severe
Owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Trax have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See airbags across all vehicles →
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles
A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles
A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented
repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall
(it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service BulletinPIC5650JJul 2021
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, and/or B3935. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. If unable to duplicate the concern ask if the customer uses any Radio Frequency Identification Devices when the concern is present. Dealer should also direct their customers to the appropriate section in the Owner manuals that references that the device complies.
THIS INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON LOCATING AND RECONNECTING AIRBAG CONNECTORS THAT ARE NOT FULLY SEATED TO CORRECT A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF AN AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED, OR ONE, OR MORE, AIRBAG DTC(S) SET.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2016 Chevrolet Trax models report two categories of airbag problems that warrant serious concern.
First, the passenger-side occupancy sensor appears unreliable. Multiple owners say the airbag warning light stays on when a passenger is seated, or fails to illuminate when it should. One owner found the sensor won't recognize passengers under about 150 pounds. Another reported the light cycling on and off inconsistently for the same passenger. A few owners took vehicles to dealers, who either confirmed the failure but couldn't fix it or couldn't diagnose the problem at all. In at least one case, the shop found no diagnostic codes despite the light being on continuously.
Second, several owners report airbags failed to deploy during actual crashes. One owner was hit head-on at 45 mph and sustained long-term back injuries; airbags never went off. Another crashed over a curb and down an embankment, and stated all 11 airbags remained inactive despite damage serious enough to total the vehicle. Two other owners experienced front-end accidents with no airbag deployment. One owner's vehicle was totaled after a frontal wreck and airbags still didn't deploy; the fire department questioned why they hadn't activated.
At least one owner noted a possible recall history but couldn't confirm if the issue was addressed before they purchased the vehicle.
Same Chevrolet Trax airbags reports on nearby years: 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Passenger occupancy sensor malfunction
Passenger-side airbag sensor fails to recognize occupants below a certain weight threshold, or fails to recognize occupants consistently. The airbag warning light either stays on, stays off incorrectly, or cycles on and off unpredictably.
When: 7,305 miles to unknown mileage; reported across various vehicle ages and use patterns
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag warning light stays illuminated when passenger seated; Passenger airbag warning light stays off when passenger seated and should be on; Airbag light cycles on and off inconsistently for same passenger weight; Sensor fails to detect occupants under approximately 150 pounds; No warning codes generated despite light malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to diagnose in at least one case; repair costs not specified by owners; vehicles not repaired in multiple cases
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Possible recall mentioned in one narrative; manufacturer notified in some cases with no assistance offered
Airbag non-deployment in frontal crashes
Airbags fail to deploy during head-on and frontal-impact collisions at highway speeds and moderate speeds, resulting in injuries to occupants and totaled vehicles. Multiple incidents with significant damage but zero airbag activation.
When: 27,000 miles; various crash incidents reported across different owner experiences
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during head-on collision at 45 mph; No airbag deployment during single-vehicle crash with major damage; No airbag deployment during two separate front-end accidents totaling vehicle; No airbag deployment during frontal wreck requiring fire department response; Owner head injury despite 11 airbags present in vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle had frame, grille, A-frame, hood, and control arm replaced following crash; vehicles totaled; medical attention required for back injuries in one case
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in at least one crash case and referred owner to NHTSA; one crash stated not related to any open recall
Airbag warning light malfunction without diagnostic codes
Airbag system warning light remains illuminated continuously during vehicle operation with no diagnostic trouble codes present when scanned, suggesting potential software or sensor communication failure.
When: Unknown mileage; persistent across vehicle operation
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light remains on entire time vehicle is running; No OBD-II codes generated when scanned at shop; Owner suspects software problem based on research
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner notes vehicle has not been recalled despite ongoing issue
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
1 most recent
airbags
· filed 12/15/2016
We had an single car crash. The car went over a curb and down an embankment and [xxx] near took out a wooden walk way with people near by on the walkway it ended up totaling ($20,000 in damage ) our brand new Chevy trax 2016. And when all 11.......... Airbags right 11 airbags and not one when off and we both had seat belt on but I still managed to hit my head so hard I had an small indent in my…
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 Chevrolet Trax?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2016 Chevrolet Trax?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Chevrolet/Trax.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.