| When a consumer buys an airbag-equipped vehicle, | | | | includes models produced from May 1994 to June |
| they expect the airbags to deploy properly in the | | | | 1996. |
| event of an accident. Thousands of lives have been | | | | - In 2000, Ford Motor Company recalled 3,002 Ford |
| saved by the installation of airbags; however there | | | | Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers were recalled |
| has been a shocking increase in the number of | | | | due to inadvertent deployment. Certain 4-door sport |
| injuries and fatalities caused by various airbag | | | | utility vehicles equipped with side airbags have a |
| systems. | | | | revised level side crash sensor that could deploy the |
| Over the years, there have been many technological | | | | side airbag if the ignition key is in the "run" position |
| advances, yet new airbag defects continue to arise. | | | | and the seatbelt webbing is forcibly extracted from a |
| Airbag defects exist in cars, trucks, minivans, and | | | | locked retractor with a jerking motion. This |
| SUV's made by companies such as Ford, | | | | deployment could occur while the vehicle is idling, or |
| DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota. | | | | while in operation. This recall includes Explorers and |
| All of these companies have experienced significant | | | | Mountaineer produced in June 2000. |
| NHTSA recalls due to the existence of defective | | | | - In 1999, DaimlerChrysler Corporation recalled 860,00 |
| airbags. | | | | Chrysler Town and Country minivans, Dodge |
| Since 1997 more than 4,000,000 vehicles have been | | | | Caravans, Dodge Grand Caravans, Plymouth |
| recalled due to airbag related problems. In addition, | | | | Voyagers, and Plymouth Grand Voyagers. An |
| there have been millions of formal "airbag defect" | | | | intermittent short circuit in the airbag initiator wire can |
| complaints made that did not result in recalls. The | | | | occur shortly after the vehicle is started and could |
| two major problems include: non-deployment and | | | | lead to an inadvertent airbag deployment. This recall |
| inadvertent deployment. Inadvertent airbag | | | | includes production from 1993 to 1995 for all models. |
| deployment appears to be used as the main reason | | | | - In 1999, Chrysler Corporation recalled 263,000 |
| for recalls, however, the complaints made by | | | | Dodge Rams. On certain van and wagon model |
| motorists consists mainly of problems related to | | | | vehicles, if water or road salt gets on the interior |
| non-deployment. | | | | floor of the vehicle in the proximity of the airbag |
| An airbag that does not inflate when it is designed to | | | | electronic control module, this module can corrode, |
| is a common defect found in the manufacture of | | | | which can cause the driver's side airbag to |
| airbag systems. Recalls and complaints have been | | | | inadvertently deploy and cause serious injury. This |
| directed to manufacturers such as DaimlerChrysler, | | | | recall includes 1995 to 1997 models. |
| Honda, and Ford corporations for the | | | | - In 1999, Chrysler Corporation recalled 30,400 Dodge |
| non-deployment of airbags at intended times. | | | | Ram Vans. On certain van used for conversion, if a |
| - In April 1998, Chrysler Corporation recalled 1,600 | | | | heavy object strikes the metal casing of the airbag |
| Jeep Wranglers due to airbag non-deployment | | | | electronic control module, located under the driver's |
| problems. In manual steering Wrangler vehicles, the | | | | seat, the module could cause the airbag to |
| driver's side airbag "clock spring" wiring harness can | | | | inadvertently deploy. This recall includes Dodge Ram |
| break when turned to the "full clock" turn position. In | | | | Van produced in 1998. |
| the event of an accident, the airbag does not deploy, | | | | - In 1998, General Motors recalled 675,302 Chevrolet |
| increasing the risk of serious injury to the occupant. | | | | Cavaliers and Pontiac Sunfires. An inadvertent airbag |
| This recall includes Jeep Wranglers manufactured | | | | deployment could occur in a low speed crash or |
| from January 1996 to July 1997. | | | | when an object strikes the floor pan due to certain |
| - In March of 2006 the NHTSA began investigating | | | | calibrations in the airbag's sending and receiving |
| DaimlerChrysler Dodge Caravans, Grand Caravans and | | | | module. This recall includes Cavaliers and Sunfires that |
| Chrysler Town and Country minivans due to airbag | | | | were produced form April 1995 to May 1997. |
| non-deployment problems. The front airbag sensors | | | | - In 1998, General Motors recalled 102, 627 Cadillac |
| may corrode as a result of water seeping into the | | | | Eldorados, Devilles, Selvilles, and Concours. |
| sensor assembly. The investigation included 805,000 | | | | Inadvertent deployment can occur due to water |
| minivans produced from 2005 to 2006. | | | | intrusion into the Sensing and Diagnostics Module, |
| - There have been multiple complaints against | | | | located below the driver's seat. This recall included |
| additional DaimlerChrysler models. These models | | | | models produced from April 1994 to February 1995. |
| include the 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, and 1994 Dodge | | | | - In 1997, Chrysler Corporation recalled 125,000 Jeep |
| Ram Pickup's, 2000 Dodge Durango, 1999 Dodge | | | | Grand Cherokees, Jeep Wranglers, Dodge Dakota |
| Conversion Van, 1998 and 1995 Dodge Neon, 1996 | | | | Trucks, Dodge Neons, Plymouth Neons, and Dodge |
| Plymouth Neon, and 1993 Chrysler Concorde. | | | | Vipers. The electrical circuit design allows the potential |
| - There have been excessive complaints made about | | | | for an inadvertent airbag deployment when the |
| Ford automobiles due to airbag non-deployment as | | | | vehicle's ignition is turned off. This recall includes |
| well. These complaints against Ford include the 2001 | | | | models produced from July 1996 to September 1996. |
| Escape, 2000 Taurus, 1998 Escort, 1999 Mustang, | | | | - In 1997, Toyota Motor Company, Ltd recalled |
| 1999 F250 Super Duty, 1998 Windstar, 1996 Explorer, | | | | 61,202 Toyota Corollas. If the airbag computer in a |
| 1994 Probe, and F350 Super Duty pickups. | | | | vehicle experiences a mechanical shock within a very |
| There have been multiple recalls and complaints due | | | | short time after the engine is started (e.g. rapidly |
| to the inadvertent deployment of airbags. An airbag | | | | moving the front seat back against the stops or the |
| that deploys at a time that it is not designed to can | | | | sudden release of the parking brake), the airbag can |
| cause serious injury or death to a vehicle occupant. | | | | deploy inadvertently. This recall includes Corollas |
| Recalls and complaints have been directed to | | | | produced from May 1996 to December 1996. |
| manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, | | | | These are only a portion of the recalls and complaints |
| DaimlerChrysler, Honda, and Toyota for problems | | | | that have taken place due to airbag defects. |
| with airbags that inadvertently deploy. | | | | Defective airbags can cause serious injury, yet |
| - In 2000, General Motors Corporation recalled | | | | manufacturers continue to cut corners and reduce |
| 268,146 Buick Regals and Oldsmobile Cutlass | | | | costs at the expense of public safety. The standards |
| Supremes due to inadvertent airbag deployments. | | | | set by the NHTSA are obviously not adequate. There |
| Corrosion of the airbag inflator's internal wiring, which | | | | are many airbag systems that pass the current crash |
| can occur over time, could cause the inadvertent | | | | test requirements despite the recalls and criticism |
| deployment of the driver's airbag. This deployment | | | | they have endured over the years. This epidemic |
| could occur during vehicle start-up, while the vehicle is | | | | must be stopped. The government must demand |
| parked or idling, or while in operation. This recall | | | | more stringent requirements from car manufacturers. |