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2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

fire · 798433 · 2010-07-10

Vehicle

Make
CHRYSLER
Model
PACIFICA
Year
2004
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Miles at failure
75,000
Speed
50 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I DECIDED TO REPORT THIS COMPLAINT WHEN I READ OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN A AUTOMOTIVE NEWSPAPER COLUMN. I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IN MY 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. FORTUNATELY MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT (OR I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM), AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER. THERE WAS NO COLLISION THAT MADE THE BAG DEPLOY, NOR DID I RUN OVER ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WAS "FRIED" IN ADDITION TO THE BAG DEPLOYING. THE CAR DEALER AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM CHRYSLER WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY--THEY BLAMED THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT HAD DONE SOME COLLISION WORK ON THE CAR A MONTH EARLIER. THE COLLISION SHOP SAID THAT THE WORK THEY DID WAS NOWHERE NEAR ANYTHING RELATED TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. NO ONE COULD GIVE AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED EVEN AFTER THEY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE OVER A WEEK'S TIME. SO, DESPITE THEIR BEING NO RATIONAL REASON WHY THE AIRBAG WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOY, CHRYSLER STILL REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR OFFER ANY COMPENSATION--IN FACT THEY WERE EXTREMELY RUDE ON THE PHONE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WOULDN'T COVER THE DAMAGE AND FRANKLY I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED SINCE THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WE WERE FORCED TO "JUNK" THE CAR AND BUY A NEW/USED ONE. CHRYSLER IS LUCKY THAT THE DEPLOYING AIRBAG DIDN'T CAUSE M

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10342413
Machine
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