# 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER — AIR BAGS
> NHTSA complaint `1133605` · 2014-11-22 · Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHRYSLER
- **Model:** PT CRUISER
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- **Component:** AIR BAGS
- **Miles at failure:** 160,000
- **Speed:** 55 mph
## Narrative
I HAVE HAD THE CAR TUNED AND INSPECTED THIS PAST YEAR AND HAD MENTIONED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON SPORADICALLY. LIKE THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT," IT APPARENTLY MEANT NOTHING, I WAS TOLD, AS IT WAS THE ORIGINAL, NEVER USED, AIRBAG. YESTERDAY AS I WAS DRIVING ON A FOUR-LAND HIGHWAY THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION AND THE SMELL OF CORDITE, AS IF I HAD BEEN SHOT. MY CHEST FELT CRUSHED, AS IF IT HAD BEEN HIT, COMPRESSED, WHATEVER...AND THE SEAT BELTS TIGHTENED, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT. NO BLOOD, NO BULLET HOLE. CHEST HURT. CHEST DID NOT HURT BECAUSE OF A SEATBELT, BUT THE COMPRESSION FROM THE BLAST. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND JUST HELD THE CAR STEADY, VERY DISORIENTED AND SHAKEN. CHEST HURT. I REALIZED I WAS WITHIN A MILE (A MIRACLE) OF ONE OF THE TWO CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS THAT HAS WORKED ON THIS CAR OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, SO I DROVE IT IN AND STUMBLED, BREATHLESS, INTO THE SERVICE AREA,, WHERE THEY KNEW ME AT ONCE BY NAME. THEY KNEW I WAS SHAKEN  AND WAS HAVING TROUBLE TALKING AND WALKING. MY CHEST HAD BEEN HIT VERY HARD AND I FOUND OUT THE AIR HAD BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF MY LUNGS. THEY HAVE THE CAR, HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. NO ONE HAS WORKED ON IT YET. I AM GOING OVER THERE TODAY TO ASK THEM NOT TO WORK ON IT UNTIL MY LAWYER DECIDES IF IT IS "EVIDENCE" FOR SOME NEW KIND OF AIR BAG HAZARD. I HAVE NO CAR NOW. I WANT OTHER DRIVERS AND OWNERS TO KNOW THAT A TEN-YEAR-OLD CAR AND TEN-YEAR-OLD AIRBAG ARE DANGEROUS
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*