Recall 13V029 covers 887,709 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Corolla, and Corolla Matrix vehicles for SRS circuit shorting. Free repair at any franchised Pontiac dealer.
Pontiac recall 13V029 covers 887,709 2003-2004 Vibe, Corolla, and Corolla Matrix vehicles with SRS circuits that can short internally. Excess current and heat can damage the circuits, causing unintended front airbag or seat belt pretensioner deployment; the dealer repair is free.
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What's wrong?
The supplemental restraint system in the 2003-2004 Vibe, Corolla, and Corolla Matrix controls the front airbags and seat belt pretensioners. The pretensioners tighten the belts during a crash, while the airbags deploy from signals sent through the SRS electrical circuits. Those circuits are supposed to stay stable until a crash event calls for deployment.
On affected vehicles, the SRS circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. A short sends electrical current where it does not belong, which creates abnormal current flow and added heat inside the circuit. That heat can damage the circuit and trigger the front airbags or seat belt pretensioners when there has not been a crash.
There is no warning sign before failure. The filing did not report a driver-noticeable symptom before an unintended airbag or pretensioner deployment.
Who's affected?
Spans the Vibe, Corolla, and Corolla Matrix across the 2003 and 2004 model years, all tied to the air bag system.
| 2003 Pontiac Vibe | air bag system |
|---|---|
| 2004 Pontiac Vibe | air bag system |
| 2003 Toyota Corolla | air bag system |
| 2004 Toyota Corolla | air bag system |
| 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix | air bag system |
| 2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix | air bag system |
| Units affected | 887,709 |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific car.
What's the safety risk?
Unexpected airbag or seat belt pretensioner deployment can injure occupants and disrupt control of the vehicle. That raises crash risk. No warning sign is reported before deployment, so schedule the dealer repair soon if your VIN is included. Repair is free at any franchised Pontiac dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe, Corolla, or Corolla Matrix is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Pontiac dealer to schedule the free airbag control module replacement that fixes the SRS shorting condition tied to unintended airbag or seat belt pretensioner deployment.
- Bring the recall notice if you received one. If not, reference recall number 13V029 when you call.
- Ask the dealer whether your vehicle already received the noise-filter repair and still needs the new airbag control module.
- Drive carefully until the repair is complete, and stop driving if an airbag warning light or other SRS warning appears.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Pontiac technician checks whether the earlier noise filter repair left the original airbag control module in place. If it did, the technician replaces the airbag control module. The earlier supplemental harness with the electrical filter was installed at no cost, and this control module replacement is also free under the recall. Pontiac has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who already paid out of pocket for a related repair. Bring repair invoices and proof of payment to the service desk so the claim can be reviewed under that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| January 30, 2013 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| March 13, 2013 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 13V029?
Recall 13V029 covers 887,709 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe, Corolla, and Corolla Matrix vehicles with SRS circuits that can short internally. The short can damage the circuits and trigger unintended front airbag or seat belt pretensioner deployment. Dealers will replace the airbag control module for free.
What should I do if my 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe, Corolla, or Corolla Matrix is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 13V029. If it is, contact a franchised Pontiac service dealer and ask for the airbag control module replacement. Reference recall 13V029 when you call. The dealer repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and the remedy for recall 13V029 is free. Dealers previously installed a filter harness, and vehicles still needing the later repair receive a replacement airbag control module at no charge.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is unintended front airbag or seat belt pretensioner deployment. NHTSA states that this increases the risk of injury and the possibility of a crash. If your VIN is included, arrange the free airbag control module replacement through a franchised Pontiac service dealer.
What if I bought this vehicle used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to see whether your 2003-2004 vehicle is included and whether the airbag control module replacement is still open. Use recall 13V029 when you call the dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/13V029000 |
|---|---|
| Pontiac customer service | 1-800-331-4331 |
| NHTSA recall # | 13V029 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 13V029000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →