2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser airbag problems

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED MCHENRY AUTO MART (LOCATED AT 725 MCHENRY AVE, SUITE A, MODESTO, CA 95350 (209) 408-8802) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ASKED IF SHE WAS LATE ON HER PAYMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #11020979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

AS I WAS DRIVING THERE WAS SUDDENLY A LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE SMELL OF BLACK POWDER (LIKE A GUNSHOT) AND I WAS HIT VERY HARD IN THE UPPER RIGHT CHEST, DRIVER'S SIDE, BY A SHOCK WAVE THAT FELT AS IF I HAD BEEN SHOT. THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE AREA NEAR THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON AND OFF RANDOMLY FOR MONTHS. IT NEVER STAYED ON MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS. I HAD THE CAR IN FOR ITS BIG VA STATE INSPECTION, TO THE TUNE OF $2059.03, IN APRIL AT THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAVE TAKEN IT FOR ONE YEAR. AIR BAGS ARE NOT PART OF A REGULAR INSPECTION SO IT WAS NOT CHECKED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO THE NEAREST CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, BY LUCK IT WAS WITHIN A MILE OF WHERE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED), AND ASKED THE MEN IN SERVICE, WHO KNOW ME AND HAD SERVICED THIS CAR FOR TEN YEARS, TO COME OUT AND SMELL IT. THEY CONCURRED IT SMELLED AS IF AN EXPLOSION HAD HAPPENED INSIDE THE CAR. THE AIRBAG HAD NOT DEPLOYED; NOR SHOULD IT HAVE...THERE WAS NO CRASH OR ANYTHING. I LEFT THE CAR THERE. MY CHEST HURT. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER IN DETROIT AND A WEEK LATER THEY SENT THEIR SPECIAL VA ENGINEER WITH HIS COMPUTER TO CHECK THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR. THE OTHER DAY I RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL LETTER THAT MY CLAIM WAS BEING DENIED; NOTHING HAD BEEN FOUND. SO I WENT OVER TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MAN DROVE IT AROUND THE LOT TO GIVE TO ME. I WAS GOING TO TAKE IT HOME. HE HAD NOT PUT THE SEAT BELT ON TO DRIVE IT TO ME. I GOT IN AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME AND THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND. I CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR WITH AN INOPERABLE SEAT BELT AND WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE PROPELLANT THAT HIT ME IN THE CHEST, AS THE BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. IT WAS SO FAST, SO HARD, AND SCARED ME TO DEATH. I REPORTED THIS TO YOU AFTER IT HAPPENED, BUT AM RE-REPORTING IT NOW BECAUSE OF THE "RESULTS" OF CHRYSLER'S OFFICIAL INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint #10664840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN AROMA OF SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 1/21/15*CN UPDATED 9/11/2017

NHTSA complaint #10664555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

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. THIS CAR HAS NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL AIRBAG. MY IDEA: AIRBAGS NEED TO BE ROTATED OUT AND CHANGED EVERY FEW YEARS SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN.

NHTSA complaint #10660201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

WHEN ENTERING THE FREEWAY ON THE ON-RAMP, A VAN IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I CRASHED INTO THE VAN. I HIT MY CHEST HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF.

NHTSA complaint #10604337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

I HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I AM VERY SORE (NO OTHER INJURIES). THE CAR WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10486502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE ROLLED, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SAFETY BELT, BUT STILL INCURRED MUSCULAR AND NEUROLOGICAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10166242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

MY WIFE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE HIT A GUARD RAIL HEAD ON AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SHE HIT IT HARD ENOUGH TO BEND THE FRAME 3 INCHES OUT OF SQUARE. THIS RESULTED IN BODILY INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #10152738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. IT FLIPPED INTO A PHONE POLE, UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, KILLING THE DRIVER.

NHTSA complaint #10119123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

HEAD ON COLLISION, AIRBAGS CAME OUT, BACK SEAT BEHIND DRIVER CAME UN-DONE, UNLATCHED AND HIT DRIVER IN HEAD, DRIVER WAS KNOCKED UNCONCIOUS. RIVER WAS WEARING SEAT BELT AND AIRBAGS DID COME OUT.

NHTSA complaint #10105703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.