1997 Dodge Stratus Airbags Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL. SHE NOTICED OIL LEAKING AFTER THE CRASH. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT A NEW HEAD GASKET WAS NEEDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF

NHTSA ID

10210271

Incident

Oct 21, 2007

Mileage

81,000 mi

WE HAD FREQUENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND TOOK IT TO THE LIBERTY DEALERSHIP IN JOHNSTOWN, OH TO GET THEM FIXED UNTIL WE GOT TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN THE CARE WAS VALUED TO GUARANTEE THE FIX. THESE ITEMS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY. ONE DAY AFTER PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AFTER WORK, I SHUT THE CAR OFF, OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHILE PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, GIVING ME A PRETTY GOOD SHOT IN THE FACE. THE CAR WAS SITTING STILL AND NOT RUNNING. THE KEYS WEREN'T EVEN IN THE IGNITION. I CALLED CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND FILED AN INCIDENT. THEY ASSIGNED A.L. GILBERT TO WORK ON THE CASE. A INVESTIGATOR WAS DEPLOYED FROM A PRIVATE COMPANY OUT OF DAYTON, OH. HE TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP IN MT. VERNON, OH AND DETERMINED BY LOOKING AT THE CAR'S COMPUTER THAT IT HAD BEEN WRECKED. OBVIOUSLY, THIS WASN'T THE CASE AS THERE WASN'T A DENT OR SCRATCH ON THE CAR AND I WAS SITTING STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY. HOWEVER, CHRYSLER REFUSED TO CHANGE THEIR DETERMINATION. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS REQUESTED MULTIPLE TIMES, A COPY OF THE REPORT FROM THE INVESTIGATOR FROM DAYTON, OH WAS NEVER PROVIDED ME. A.L. GILBERT BLATANTLY CALLED ME DISHONEST BECAUSE HE SAID THE COMPUTER DIDN'T LIE. I CONVINCED HIM TO LET ME TAKE IT TO THE LIBERTY DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE SERVICE MANAGER LOOK AT THE CAR WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH HIM. THE LIBERTY SERVICE MANAGER TOLD A.L. GILBERT THAT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF ANY ACCIDENT ON THE CAR. A.L. GILBERT SAID THERE ABSOLUTELY HAD TO BE SOMETHING BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SAID SO. THE LIBERT SERVICE MECHANIC SAID, IN FACT THE ONLY SCRATCH I SEE IS ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND LOOKS LIKE HE'S DRIVEN ON A GRAVEL ROAD. GILBERT RESPONDED AND SAID THAT WAS ALL THE EVIDENCE HE NEEDED AND THAT THE DECISION STOOD. I STILL DRIVE THE CAR TODAY BUT WITHOUT AIR BAGS AND WITH A DASH THAT LIGHTS UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145247

Incident

May 18, 2003

Mileage

117,000 mi

CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND HIT A DEER ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE HOOD. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WAS $2500.00 IN DAMAGES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10087722

Incident

Jul 20, 2004

Mileage

127,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10053518

Incident

Jan 4, 2004

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BROADSIDE. THE VEHICLE RAN INTO SOME TREES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE CONSUMER TRIED TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION. A FIRE STARTED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AREA. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10048614

Incident

Nov 23, 2003

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, UNDER NORMAL WEATHER CONDITIONS, A BULL WONDERED ONTO THE ROAD AND WAS HIT. UPON IMPACT WITH THE BULL FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES BASED ON DOCTOR'S EVALUATIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10034237

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER RECEIVED EXTENSIVE INJURIES. *JG

NHTSA ID

10004557

THE CONSUMER WAS IN A THREE VEHICLE CRASH, IN WHICH HER VEHICLE WAS IN THE MIDDLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *SCC

NHTSA ID

567866

Incident

Oct 4, 2002

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

NHTSA ID

567444

Incident

Jul 27, 2002

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 30 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011231

Incident

May 30, 2002

THIS IS THE 2D SAME VEHICLE IN TOTAL LOSS CRASHES IN 2 WEEKS WHERE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

745469

Incident

Apr 24, 2001

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ID

887703

Incident

Apr 27, 2001

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND REAR SEAT RELEASED FROM THE SEAT TRACKS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

872457

THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED FOR A SEC THEN IT WENT OFF RIPPING MY HAND OFF THE STERING WHEEL I HAD MY FAMILY IN THE CAR . IT WAS LOUD AND MY ARM HAD PLASTIC IN IT . *AK

NHTSA ID

724433

Incident

Jun 27, 1998

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT 5 MILES PER HOUR COLLISION. NO DAMAGE TO OTHER CAR BUT OUR CAR HAD A BLOWN OUT WINDSHIELD, SIDE WINDOW, BLOWN APART DASH AND STEERING COLUM. ONLY DAMAGE TO CAR WAS IN THE INTERIOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

721092

Incident

Apr 2, 2000

THIS VEHICLE RAN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE BRAKING FROM THE SPEED OF 70 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

854891

FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

841641

Incident

Jul 6, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

838457

Incident

May 21, 1999

VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHILE TURNING OFF FREEWAY. HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGES IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

834220

Incident

Jan 14, 1999

ON JULY 27 1998 I WAS DRIVING MY DODGE STRATUS SOUTH ON STATE ST IN SPRINGVILLE I WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A LIGHT I CHANGED LANES TO THE RIGHT WHEN MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED RIPPING MY HAND OFF THE STEERING WHEEL I STOPPED THE CAR . MY GIRLFREIND AND HER KIDS WHERE IN THE CAR. AND JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR WHEN I STOPPED. MY ARM WAS CUT UP FROM THE COVER ON THE AIRBAG. I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL. WHERE THEY REMOVED PLASTIC FROM MY FORARM. I CALLED THE POLICE AND REPORTED IT. I CALLED DOUG SMITH AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPEND THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID THEY WHOULD NOT COVER IT BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARANTY, BUT I HAVE EXSTENDED WARANTY THEY SAID TO HAVE MY AUTO INSURANCE TAKE CARE OF IT. MY AUTO INSURANCE WONT COVER FATORY DEFECTS. I WAS LUCKY I WAS'NT ON THE FREEWAY OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND OTHER MAY HAVE BEEN HURT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS NO ONE ELSE WOULD GIVE ME THERE TIME. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

700637

Incident

Jul 27, 1998

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH 3 OTHER VEHICLES, TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH, THE SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. MOST DAMAGE DONE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

826914

Incident

Aug 8, 1998

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 60-65MPH, STRATUS REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

826335

Incident

Jul 9, 1998

WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, HITTING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE, AND THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THE ACCIDENT. SENSORS ARE LOCATED BEHIND THE HEADLIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID

815742

Incident

Aug 22, 1997

VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSED ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

516933

Incident

Mar 25, 1997