The driver of a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck was involved in a single-vehicle accident. The front of the Dodge pickup struck a large tree, causing significant damage to the vehicle.
Dodge Pickup Airbag Failure
However, the driver airbag failed to deploy. As a result of the airbag non-deployment, the driver suffered fatal blunt chest trauma injuries.
Our investigation also revealed that Chrysler had received hundreds and hundreds of complaints from other consumers indicating that the airbags had failed to deploy in their pickup trucks too. This case focused on the lack of an air bag sensor at the front of the pickup, even though previous models of the pickup had used such a front sensor. Our research also revealed that the Dodge pickup truck’s existing sensor was not calibrated properly for the vehicle’s structure, allowing it to be “fooled” especially in crashes involving trees and utility poles.
I was just involed in a head on Collision…i hit the passanger side from other diver…bounced back and my air bags, and seat belts did not lock or deploy…then my truck shut down and i was not able to break…it was non responsive so it kept going until i struck a brick wall…it was horrible..My truck is a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500…
My 05 Dodge Ram Quad Cab hit a retaining wall almost head on. The entire front of the bumper impacted an interstate retaining wall from the middle to the far left side at 55 miles an hour. The air bags didn’t deploy. I hit the wall bounced off did a 540 and came to a stop blocking all three lanes of traffic. The engine had died. The impact was so hard it buckled the frame. The seat belt did lock though so I walked away without a scratch.
Thanks for your input. In my opinion, Dodge pickups have had significant problems with airbag non-deployments in crashes during which consumers expect their airbags to deploy. I encourage you and other consumers to report this problem both to Chrysler and to the federal agency who monitors such issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The more people complain, the more likely it is that something will be done about this.
I was recently involved in a t-bone type collision. The airbag did not deploy. I am not sure if it should have or not. I was driving a 2001 dodge intrepid. The woman who hit me was driving at 40-45 mph. I have spoken with several people whose airbags did not work in similar crashes.
My fiancee and I were just involved in front-end crash.
My 2005 Dodge Dakota Quad-cab’s air-bags did deploy on either side.
Have their been any other Dakota’s with this problem?
I just had a collision at 25mph into a parked car. I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 and airbag failed to deploy on it.
My wife was struck by a 06 camry traveling 50 miles an hour head on into our 08 dodge ram 1500 4×4 and the air bags did not deploy. This can’t be correct.
On Dec 20, 2009 I also slid and hit a tree head on. We drive a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 4×4. The driver air bag DID NOT deploy. I fractured several bones in my face, ribs and fractured vertebraes in my back that required immediate surgery. My recovered is expected to take 6 weeks. The truck was totalled by the insurance company. We are having a Chrysler Rep come in to see the vehicle and try to figure out why the air bag did not deploy. This is a very seriours defect and needs to be addressed soon, so no one else is hurt because of this defect.
Just days before my husband deployed for again he was t-boned in our 6 week ownership Dodge Ram 1500 and the airbag did not deploy either and the wheel was completely broke off the axle. I was seriously worried that the airbags didnt’ deploy what if it had been an even worst wreck.. Aren’t they suppose to deploy? how is that safe?
I was just involved in a head on collision two days ago. due to the severe snow we have been having in the area. the other vehicle involved in the accident deployed its front airbags but my 04 dodge dakota did not. speed was minimal due to the weather but was still great enough to warrent airbags to deploy.
just hit a tree in my 02 dakota 4×4 head on and the airbags DID NOT DEPLOY
I was driving a 2005 dodge ram 1500 night runner edition regular cabb 4×4 and I hit a guard rail at about 25-35 mph, the car was sent airborne landing on the driver side door then rolled twice down a hill and neither of my airbags deployed
concrete retaining wall – vs – 1999 Ram 1500.. the truck lost. No airbag deployment. passenger side was turned off, but was hard enough hit to total front end of truck.. at least 30-35 mph, but hard to say exactly much had slowed down from 50mph as evasive manoevers were more important at the time than looking at the speedo. Steering column out-of-whack & doesnt shift properly which tells me of probable frame damage in addition to obvious bent radiator core support mounting point. I can fix most of it myself, although the cost may be more than I could buy another one for ( we’d just switched to liability-only ) but more unnerving is the fact that the bag didnt deploy… I’m still very sore, and we have several identical trucks that I no longer feel very secure in. If I still worked for Dodge/Dodge Dealers as I did most of my life.. I’d seriously be making like miserable for somebody at this point. To see the extent of this problem is pretty disgusting and between it, and the epidemic problems with the dash assemblies falling apart on these trucks (creating another huge safety issue) they SHOULD be accountable. Where’s that worthless “Doctor Z” when ya need him ? I dont know if this is the result, but I think it was unanimous that things were going downhill when Bob Eaton got stupid and made a “merger” with Daimler… but the rest of my comments regarding the last dozen years’ safety concerns are basically unprintable in a public forum.
My step daughter was involved in a major accident in Ca.
She fell asleep at the wheel and hit a tree at high speed.
It almost killed her. She was in a Dodge 2001 1500 4×4 where the drivers side airbag did not fully deploy. I told her not to buy a Dodge! Hopefully she learned that now!
There are enough complaints on this website alone that there should be some sort of Class action Lawsuit!
I do not want to re-live the details, but people need to be aware of this problem that is obviously is being swept under the carpet by Dodge!!!!