# Chevrolet Trax airbag warning light: complaints, recalls and what to do **Verdict:** Drive to a shop this week - **Owner complaints:** 12 - **Most complaints:** 2016 (7) - **Related recalls:** 3 - **Verdict:** This week ## Quick answer NHTSA has 12 owner complaints about the airbag warning light on the Chevrolet Trax (2015-2026 models), most for the **2016** model year (7). There are **3 recalls** for related parts; check yours by VIN. Drive to a shop this week: The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. ## Chevrolet Trax airbag warning light complaints by model year | Model year | Complaints mentioning the airbag light | All complaints that year | Share | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2015 | 3 | 96 | 3% | | 2016 | 7 | 120 | 6% | | 2020 | 1 | 98 | 1% | | 2026 | 1 | 19 | 5% | Counts are complaints filed with NHTSA whose description mentions this light. They show where owners have had trouble, not a failure rate: popular years collect more complaints simply because more cars are on the road. ## Chevrolet Trax recalls related to the airbag warning light **[18V774000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=18V774000)** (2019 models, reported 2018-11-01): If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. **Remedy:** GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. **[17V437000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=17V437000)** (2015-2016 models, reported 2017-07-10): 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. **Remedy:** 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. **[16V651000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=16V651000)** (2015-2017 models, reported 2016-09-08): 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. **Remedy:** 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. Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer. Enter your 17-character VIN at [nhtsa.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see whether yours is still open. ## What Chevrolet Trax owners report - "It has been explained to me that this warning light indicates that the air bags may not work if an accident occurs or the airbags may just deploy as I am driving down the road. That is the safety issue I am reporting. If even the GM engineers cannot fix this problem then I would say that it is a serious problem..." -- owner of a 2026 Chevrolet Trax, complaint filed 2026 - "Passenger side air bag light does not indicate that the airbag is on. This happens very often when you sit in the passenger seat and fasten the seat belt. This has been happening for several weeks." -- owner of a 2016 Chevrolet Trax, complaint filed 2023 - "When replaced caused all relays including (airbag, headlights, dash board, and trunk relays) to no longer work. Have had mechanic reprogram system but no longer works." -- owner of a 2015 Chevrolet Trax, complaint filed 2019 Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly cleaned for reading. They are owners' own accounts and have not been verified. ## What the airbag warning light means The airbag or SRS light means the airbag computer found a fault and may have turned off some or all airbags. The car drives normally, but you may not have airbag protection in a crash. Common causes include a loose connector under a seat, a worn clock spring in the steering wheel, and a seat belt buckle sensor. Have it diagnosed soon and check for open airbag recalls. The most common causes, on any make: 1. **Loose or damaged connector under a seat** (common) 2. **Worn clock spring in the steering wheel** (common) 3. **Passenger occupant sensor fault** (less common) 4. **Seat belt buckle or pretensioner fault** (less common) Full causes, what to do and how to reset it: [Airbag (SRS) warning light](/warning-lights/airbag). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a recall for the Chevrolet Trax airbag light? Yes. NHTSA lists 3 related recalls (18V774000, 17V437000, 16V651000) covering 2015-2019 models. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is open. ### Which Chevrolet Trax years have the most airbag light complaints? In NHTSA's database the 2015, 2016 and 2020 Trax model years have the most complaints mentioning the airbag warning light, with 7 for 2016. Complaint counts reflect how many cars were sold as well as how often problems happen. ### Is it safe to drive a Chevrolet Trax with the airbag light on? Drive to a shop this week. The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. Do not try to repair airbag parts yourself, because an accidental deployment can cause serious injury. ### How do I check if my Chevrolet Trax has an open recall? Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask any Chevrolet dealer. Open recalls are fixed free of charge, even if you are not the first owner. ## Sources - [NHTSA: Vehicle safety complaints and recalls (api.nhtsa.gov)](https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis) - [NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) ## Other Chevrolet Trax warning lights - [Brake warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/brake/chevrolet-trax): 17 complaints - [Check engine light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/check-engine/chevrolet-trax): 164 complaints - [Coolant temperature warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/coolant-temperature/chevrolet-trax): 34 complaints - [Power steering warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/power-steering/chevrolet-trax): 43 complaints - [Traction control light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/traction-control/chevrolet-trax): 19 complaints ## Airbag (SRS) warning light on other models - [Subaru Forester](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/subaru-forester): 280 complaints - [Nissan Altima](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-altima): 250 complaints - [Ford Explorer](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ford-explorer): 205 complaints - [Nissan Rogue](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-rogue): 163 complaints - [Honda Accord](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/honda-accord): 90 complaints - [Jeep Wrangler](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-wrangler): 88 complaints - [Ram 1500](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ram-1500): 77 complaints - [Volkswagen Tiguan](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/volkswagen-tiguan): 75 complaints - [Jeep Cherokee](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-cherokee): 71 complaints - [Chevrolet Traverse](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/chevrolet-traverse): 69 complaints ## Chevrolet Trax - [Chevrolet Trax specs and mpg by year](https://diagxcar.com/vehicles/chevrolet-trax) --- Source page: https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/chevrolet-trax Updated: 2026-11-04 General information, not a substitute for a qualified mechanic.