Daimler has determined that certain Mercedes-Benz GL/GLE/GLS (166 Platform) and GLE Coupe (292 Platform) vehicles may have a problem affecting the front passengger occupant classification system (OCS). According to the defect report, a light occupant remaining stationary on the edge of the seat for a long time could be incorrectly classified as a child seat. The passenger side frontal airbag may be deactivated, increasing the risk of injury to occupants. Drivers will be alerted with an “Airbag Off” warning message illuminated in the center console, even though an occupant is seated in the front passenger seat. Continue reading
Tag Archives: air bag safety problem
Toyota Avalon & Toyota Camry Air Bag May Be Incorrectly Installed
A small number of 2016 Toyota Avalon and 2017 Toyota Camry owners will be contacted by the manufacturer concerning a problem affecting their vehicles front passenger knee airbag. According to the defect report, the airbag module may have been installed with the incorrect fasteners. The mounting holes could become damaged and the fasteners could loosen over time. If this happens, airbag performance will be decreased, increasing the risk of injury during an accident.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fasteners, and replace the instrument panel brace and body bracket, if necessary. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is G05 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-906.
2017 Chevrolet Malibu Airbag Defect
General Motors will be contacting the owners of certain 2017 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles regarding a problem affecting their vehicles airbag safety. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the right-hand rear side airbag may have weak welds on the inflator manifold. In the event of a right-side impact, this defect can cause inflator components to separate and propel debris or hot gas into the interior compartment. It is also possible that the airbag may inflate partially or not at all.
Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the rear side airbag module replaced. For more information about the problem, owners are asked to contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is 16146 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-870.
2017 Jeep Cherokee Airbag Safety Defect
Chrysler will be contacting the owners of certain 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles regarding a problem that could compromise the airbag safety system. According to the defect report, the affected vehicles were manufactured with driver’s knee airbags that may have improper welds. The problem could result in inadequate airbag inflation or possible additional injuries to the driver under certain types of crashes.
Dealers will correct the problem by replacing the driver’s knee air bag module. For more information about the recall, owners are asked to contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is S84 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-799.
Eleventh Death Tied To Takata Airbags Confirmed By NHTSA
The Department of Transportation continues to ask for the news media and public’s assistance to find vehicles with unrepaired Takata airbags, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed a crash fatality in Riverside County, California is tied to a rupture of a recalled Takata air bag inflator.
The victim died after suffering injuries in a crash on Friday, Sept. 30. The vehicle involved was a 2001 Honda Civic first recalled in 2008. Records show that the recall repair was never completed. The vehicle is included in a list of Honda and Acura vehicles which have been identified as being a substantially higher risk. These airbag inflators in these vehicles have a manufacturing defect which increases the potential for a dangerous rupture upon deployment. These ruptures are more likely to happen in vehicles that have spent significant periods of time in areas of high humidity such as Florida, Texas, parts of the Gulf Coast and Southern California. These vehicles show rupture rates as high as fifty percent in a laboratory setting.
The higher-risk inflators are in the following 2001-2003 Honda and Acura vehicles:
- 2001-002 Honda Civic
- 2001-2002 Honda Accord
- 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL
- 2002 Honda CR-V
- 2002 Honda Odyssey
- 2003 Acura 3.2CL
- 2003 Honda Pilot
2016-2017 Volvo S90 & XC90 Airbag Fault Warning Indication
Volvo will be asking the owners of certain 2016-2017 S90 and XC90 vehicles to return to their dealerships to correct a problem affecting the air conditioning system. Due to an incorrect installation, condensation from the air conditioning drainage hose may leak into the passenger compartment. Drivers may notice some air conditioning functionality issues, and if the problem is not repaired, the moisture could affect the supplemental restraint and the engine management systems. Drivers will be alerted of a problem through various warning messages from the driver information module (DIM). Continue reading
Chrysler Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) Problem
Chrysler will be contacting the owners of approximately 1.5 million Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep owners, about a problem affecting the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC). According to the defect report, a short could develop in the ORC module and prevent the frontal airbags, side airbags, and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
The vehicles affected by this problem include:
- 2011-2014 Chrysler 200
- 2010 Chrysler Sebring
- 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger
- 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber
- 2010-2014 Jeep Compass
- 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot
GM Airbag Software Defect
General Motors will be contacting the owners of certain 2014-2017 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, about a problem affecting the airbag deployment system. The recall was initiated after a report was filed in GM’s “Seak Up for Safety” system, relating to a fatal crash involving a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado truck. According to the recall report, the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) in certain vehicles may have a software defect which could prevent the deployment of frontal airbags and pretensioners.
The vehicles involved in this recall include:
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