Volkswagen is recalling 317 model 2012 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured from April 8, 2011, through May 26, 2011. Due to a problem in the stitching process of the curtain air bag, the seam of the air bag may not be stitched properly. In the event of a crash, the head curtain air bag may not deploy and will not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of an injury. The safety recall is expected to begin during January 2012. 11V-580.

Chrysler is recalling 5,334 model year 2008-2012 right hand drive (RHD) Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2007 through October 10, 2011. Some vehicles may be equipped with driver’s airbag clockspring assemblies that could experience a compromised airbag circuit resulting in an airbag lamp illumination, which indicates that the airbag may not deploy. A broken electrical circuit in the airbag clockspring wiring assembly can lead to non-deployment of the driver frontal airbag and will not be able to properly protect the driver in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injuries.11v-528.

The Office of Defect Investigations had received 29 consumer complaints of airbag light illumination and/or clockspring failure on model years 2007-2008 jeep wrangler. Twenty-three of the 29 complaints specifically identified the airbag clockspring wiring assembly as the source of the issue. The remaining six complaints referenced only the airbag light being illuminated. Among the fourteen owners contacted, six stated that they owned a right hand drive version of the vehicle typically used by postal carriers. Sixteen of the 29 complaints were received since January 1, 2011. A broken electrical circuit in the airbag clockspring wiring assembly can lead to non-deployment of the driver side frontal airbag.  PE11-019.

General Motors (GM) is recalling 38,444 model year 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 vehicles manufactured from November 2, 2007 through January 22, 2009. A 5th percentile female anthropomorphic test device (ATD, also known as a crash test dummy) in a 30 mph frontal barrier test exceeded the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) requirements of the standard. With the front passenger seat positioned full forward, the seat position sensor will cause a 30 milliseconds deployment delay between the first and second stages of the dual-stage frontal passenger air bag. In the event of a crash, this delay may result in increased head injury to certain front seat occupants. 11V-534.

Our client was a front seat passenger in a 1994 Nissan Altima that was involved in a low-speed intersection accident.  When the passenger air bag deployed, it blinded her in one eye, even though she was wearing her seat belt.  Our analysis revealed that the passenger air bag was defective.  It also revealed that the air bag defects contributed to a higher likelihood of injuries from the deploying air bag, specifically including eye injuries and blindness.

Our clients’ mother was driving her 2003 Buick Century when for unknown reasons, her car veered off the road.  The front of the Buick Century struck a steel culvert head-on with such force that the entire car flipped over onto its roof.

2003 Buick Century Air Bag Failure in Frontal Crash

Despite the severity of the crash, the driver’s air bag failed to deploy.  As a result, her face hit the steering wheel, causing extensive facial fractures.  After many weeks of hospitalization, she succumbed to her injuries and passed away.

Upon being retained, we promptly investigated this accident and the design of its air bag system.  Our investigation revealed that the 2003 Buick Century air bag system contained several design defects. For example, it failed to include any crash sensors in the front of the car.  Our investigation also revealed that many of these defects are also present in other General Motors cars.

Hyundai is recalling 205,233 model year 2007-2008 Hyundai Veracruz vehicles manufactured from December 26, 2006 through March 21, 2008, and model year 2007-2008 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006 through March 20, 2008. The clock spring contact assembly for the driver’s air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) may become damaged through usage over time. The driver’s air bag electrical circuit will experience a high resistance condition, potentially causing the driver’s air bag to not deploy. If the clock spring develops high resistance, in the event of a crash, the drivers air bag will not deploy and will not be able to properly protect the driver, increasing the risk of injuries. The safety recall is expected to begin during September 2011. 11V-472.

Our clients’ mother was driving her 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager when she was hit head on by another vehicle that crossed the centerline.  Even though she was properly wearing her seatbelt, the driver airbag in her 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager failed to deploy, leading to fatal injuries.  However, the passenger airbag deployed even though there was no passenger.  During our investigation, we discovered that the Chrysler minivan contained a faulty clockspring, a device that is underneath the driver air bag in the steering wheel.  This defect directly caused the driver air bag to fail to deploy in the accident.  Our detailed investigation and our experience allowed us to utilize several different legal approaches to obtain a measure of justice for the family of the victim.  Unfortunately for consumers, many other Chrysler models also contain defective clocksprings that may not be discovered until it is too late.

Chrysler is recalling 299,718 model year 2008 Chrysler Grand Voyager, Chrysler Town and Country, and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured from June 24, 2007 through July 30, 2008. These vehicles may experience a heating and air conditioner (HVAC) condensate leak from the HVAC drain grommet onto the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module, which can lead to the illumination of the airbag warning light and a potential inadvertent airbag deployment without warning. An inadvertent airbag deployment could result in injury to the seat occupant in front of the deploying airbag and/or a vehicle crash. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2011. This air bag safety defect recall has been assigned NHTSA recall number 11V-394.  Chrysler has assigned recall number L01 to this recall.

General Motors (GM) is recalling 47,401 model year 2011 Cadillac SRX passenger vehicles for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, “Occupant Crash Protection.” The airbags are programmed to turn off the right side roof-rail airbag if the passenger sensing system determines that the right front passenger seat is unoccupied. The right rear occupant may not be protected and suffer injuries in certain frontal and side crashes. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about June 17, 2011. 11V-308.

Honda is recalling 2,430 model year 2001-2002 Honda Accord, and Honda Civic 2-door and 4-door, model year 2002-2003 Honda CR-V, model year 2002 Honda Odyssey, model year 2003 Acura CL, and model year 2002-2003 Acura TL vehicles. This recall is related to a series of recalls on these vehicles in which Honda is replacing the inflators within the driver’s side air bag to address a defective condition.

This recall addresses approximately 2,430 air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts in the event. For example, a covered vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the driver’s air bag, and the replacement air bag installed was one that may have contained a defective inflator. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver’s air bag, the inflator could produce excessive internal pressure that could cause the inflator to rupture with metal fragments striking and injuring the driver or other occupants. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about June 27, 2011. 11V-260.