On February 25, 2009 a defective Steering Column Control Module (SCCM) was found at a Chrysler instrument panel supplier. Analysis determined that wiring was reversed on the driver air bag squib connector. Investigation determined that the SCCM supplier manufacturing process locates the driver air bag squib wires into a fixture by hand and a vision system checks for correct wire color and position prior to soldering. It was also determined that if the fixture is in program mode, the squib wires can be soldered even if not correctly positioned.

The affected vehicles all utilize multi-stage driver airbags, and reversed squib wires may result in improper driver air bag deployment performance as the inflator stages fire in reverse order. 

This condition is not detectable by vehicle on-board diagnostics, and no malfunction indicator lamp will illuminate. This means that your air bag warning lamp will NOT be on, even though you may have the defective components.

The component was supplied by TRW Automotive Electronics Group.

The recall is expected to begin during May 2009. 09V-118.

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.

Unfortunately, Chrysler refused to make clockspring replacement mandatory for all these vehicles.  Instead, they negotiated a deal with the federal government requiring replacement of the clockspring only for those minivans having less than 70,000 miles.  For those having more miles, replacement isn’t required unless the air bag warning lamp is on, and the system diagnoses a defect in the clockspring.  Unfortunately, it’s possible that your warning light is not on when you are involved in a crash, and yet the clockspring fails and prevents deployment of the driver airbag.  Thus, you may not know you have a problem until it’s too late.  This can result in devastating personal injuries or death.

To compound the problem, Chrysler did not issue this recall promptly after discovering the first defective clocksprings.  After numerous reports of problems, the government opened its formal defect investigation into this issue in August of 2000.  However, Chrysler did not issue the recall until more than two years later.  Of course, the longer it took for them to issue the recall, the less vehicles would qualify for the mandatory replacement of clocksprings for vehicles having less than 70,000 miles.

The government’s recall number is 02V-293.

The government’s recall number is 04V-480.