Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Dodge Intrepid submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 34 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 34, in the owner's own words
TAKATA RECALL: I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND A PIECE OF METAL WENT THROUGH MY EYE CAUSING IMMEDIATE BLINDNESS AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE LEFT EYE. THE PIECE OF METAL WAS PULL OUT IN THE ER. THERE WERE NO OTHER INJURIES. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET IN DETROIT MI TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH. I'VE BEEN WEARING A PROSTHETIC EYE SINCE.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY WHICH AFFECTS THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATING/AC COMPONENT. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON THE WINDOWS & HEATER/AC STOPPED WORKING. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL WHEN THE IGNITION IS IN THE OFF POSITION. I HAD A 1993 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM DESCRIBED ABOVE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF AT TIMES BY ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH ALLOWED THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND HEATER/AC TO WORK UNTIL THE LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON. THE DIFFERENCE IS I CANNOT GET THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO TURN OFF AT ALL ON THE 1996 MODEL, THE DIFFERENCE BEING BETWEEN THE TWO MODELS IS THAT THE 93 HAD THE GEAR SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR CONSOLE; WHILE 96 IS ON THE COLUMN. THE FACT THAT THE 93 AND 96 BOTH HAVE THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT AFFECTING THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATER/AC IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT ONE THING SHOULD AFFECT THE OTHER, BUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT TO BE UNTRUE. IN MY OPINION THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH EITHER THE SENSORS OR SOMETHING IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, OR POSSIBLY THE WIRING WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF MANUFACTURING ISSUES. THIS DOES POSE AS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN AND THE HEATER/AC WILL NOT COOL/HEAT THE CAR AND THE DEFROSTER CANNOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS OF CONDENSATION; WHICH CREATES OBSTRUCTED VIEW. THE NONWORKING HEATER/AC SEVERELY RESTRICTS THE TIMES YOU CAN DRIVE THE CAR, UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RISK HEAT EXHAUSTION DURING SUMMER OR FROSTBITE DURING THE WINTER. *TR
THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF IT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME WHEN IT IS ON THE HEATER WINDOWS HORN AND REAR BACK UP LIGHTS AND REAR DEFROSTER DO NOT WORK WITH NO HEATER/DEFROSTER IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE ICE OFF THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOWS EVEN WHILE HAVING THE PASSENGER CONSTANTLY TRYING TO SCRAPE OFF THE ICE IT JUST INSTANTLY RE FREEZES CAUSING VERY DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO THIS THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A DEEP DITCH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND WE HAD TO BE TOWED OUT OF THE DITCH WITH A HOIST AND A LIFT AND BACK TO THE ROAD BY A COMMERCIAL WRECKER FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION THIS PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE CLOCK STOP THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH PROMPTED A RECALL ON DODGE AND CHRYSLER MINI VANS OF THE SAME YEAR WHY WASN'T THIS CAR RECALLED TOO? I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE INTERNET FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BY OTHER DODGE INTREPID OWNERS THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ALSO THE FACT THE WINDOWS DON'T WORK CAN CAUSE ENTRAPMENT IN THE VEHICLE
MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID, WHILE MOVING FORWARD AT APPROXIMATELY 20 - 25 MILES PER HOUR STRUCK AN ABRUPTLY STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED LATE. EVEN WHILE WEARING MY SEATBELT, MY FOREHEAD STRUCK THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING INJURY, AND DIRECTLY AFTER THUS MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
PASSENGER AIR BAG COVER, WARPED, LOOSE, RATTLES, POSSIBLE UNINTENDED ENGAGEMENT. *NM
I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT (I WAS THE DRIVER)IN WHICH MY CAR WAS IMPACTED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE (1997 FULL-SIZE DODGE VAN). THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE, THE LEFT FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE (DODGE INTREPID, 1996). THE IMPACT WAS SO STRONG THAT IT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BREAK IN HALF, AMONG OTHER DAMAGES. I WAS USING THE SEAT BELT, AND SAW THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME-ON; BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. I HAVE NOT GONE TO THE DEALER WITH THIS INFORMATION. WILL DO SO, ONCE THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS COMPLETED ITS REPORT. MY CAR HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BECAUSE THE REPAIR COSTS EXCEED THE MARKET VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOT SUFFER MAJOR INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT DID CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TO TIGHTEN ITS GREEEP AND THIS DID CAUSED SOME BRUSING AND SEVERE CHEST AND SIDE PAIN. I AM SENDING THIS COMPLAINT SO THAT THE PROBLEM CAN BE NOTED AND IF IT HASN'T REPORTED PREVIOUSLY AND CORRECTED, THAT IT BE DONE, AS TO AVOID OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND FACE WORSE LUCK THAN I. *JB
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB
WHILE THE CONSUMER AND HER SON WERE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, THEY WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND WERE INJURED, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *YH
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 40MPH THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION W/A TREE AT APPROX 40MPH. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NLM *YH
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THEN, WHILE SITTING THERE CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS STILL DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK. *TT
AIRBAG ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS FALLING OUT OF DASHBOARD.*AK
CONSUMER STATES HER SON WAS DRIVING WHEN AN AUTO TURNED IN FRONT OF HIM, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO LEFT FRONT FENDER, MIDDLE OF HOOD, AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. NEITHER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO INJURIES WAS SUSTAINED. NLM
AFTER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AIR BAGS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF HAVING A HEAD ON COLLISION, AIR BAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY, AIRBAG SENSORS WERE BROKEN IN THE CRASH. *JG
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPAC, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED.*AK
AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, CRUISE CONTROL INOPERABLE. DEALER SAYS CLOCK SPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, COSTING OVER $300.00. *AK
VEHICLE SKIDDED ON BLACK ICE, HITTING HEAD ON TELEPHONE, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE SWIPED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH BEFORE SLIDING. DEALER WAS NO HELP IN GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. *AK AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE IMPACT WAS ABSORBED BY THE VEHICLE'S CRUSH POINTS AND THAT THE THRESHOLD FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WAS NOT MET, 1 PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
AIR BAGS LIGHT APPEARED ON AND OFF. AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING COIL BROKE, AND TECHNICIAN HAD TO DISCONNECT THE AIR BAGS. *AK
CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG (DEPLOYING PREMATURELY OR IMPROPERLY) BECAUSE THE AIR BAG COVER IS PEELED UP ON DASHBOARD CONSUMER IS UNCERTAIN IF COVER WILL CONTAIN AIR BAG DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION OR DURING A LIGHT COLLISION. YH
WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION A CAR TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. HASN'T CONTACTED DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. *AK DEALER WAS TOLD US AIR BAGS DO NOT DEPLOY UNLESS ACCIDNT IS HEAD -ON. *YH
DRIVER HIT A TREE HEAD-ON IN WET CONDITIONS AT 30MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S NOR PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED PROPERLY. AIRBAGS JUST OOZED OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. AIRBAGS DID NOT HAVE AIR IN THEM. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
THE AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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