NHTSA Investigation RQ09003

FRONT AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR FAILURE

CHRYSLER WILL REPLACE THE FRAME RAIL-MOUNTED FRONT AIR BAG CRASH SENSORS IN APPROXIMATELY 312,442 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005 AND 2006 CHRYSLER MINIVANS (RECALL 10V-008).THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FRONT CRASH SENSORS WITH ULTRADUR BRAND PLASTIC HOUSINGS AND STEEL BUSHINGS AND WERE BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 19, 2005 AND APRIL 5, 2006.THIS ACTION COVERS VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED, IN 27 STATES (ALASKA, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN) AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED OUTSIDE OF THESE STATES, APPROXIMATELY 185,000 MY 2005-2006 MINIVANS, ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.ALTHOUGH THESE VEHICLES USE THE SAME CRASH SENSORS AND WERE BUILT DURING THE SAME PERIOD AS THE ONES DESCRIBED ABOVE, THEY EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FAILURE RATES BECAUSE OF REDUCED ROAD SALT EXPOSURE.ALSO, MY 2006-2007 MINIVANS BUILT AFTER APRIL 5, 2006, ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FRONT CRASH SENSORS WITH CRASTIN BRAND PLASTIC HOUSINGS AND STEEL BUSHINGS AND EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FAILURE RATES COMPARED TO THE RECALLED VEHICLES.NHTSA AND CHRYSLER DIFFER REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE DEFECT, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF REMEDYING THE AFFECTED VEHICLES EXPEDITIOUSLY AND TO AVOID A PROTRACTED DISPUTE, CHRYSLER IS IMPLEMENTING STEPS TO REPLACE THE FRONT CRASH SENSORS.BASED ON THESE ACTIONS, THE AGENCY HAS DECIDED THAT FURTHER USE OF ITS RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THE ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.