1996 Chrysler Sebring air bags problems

“AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON WHEN STARTING AND DRIVING THEN THE GAGES ON THE DASHBOARD STOP WORKING. SOMETIMES JUST THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT GOES AND THE DIALS STILL WORK. WHEN THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OFF USUALLY THE DIALS COME BACK WITHIN 10 MINITES OR 5 MILES.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE CONTACT WAS TRAPPED IN HER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS RELEASED DEBRIS THAT BEGAN BURNING HER FACE. THERE WAS ALSO A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE AS IF CHEMICALS WERE BEING RELEASED FROM THE AIR BAGS. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND A PHYSICIAN STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED SECOND DEGREE BURNS. THE CONTACT HAS A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER CONCLUDED THAT THAT AIR BAGS WERE NOT MANUFACTURED WITH ANY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000.”

“MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT PERIODICALLY COMES ON FOR APPROX 30 SECONDS AND THEN GOES OFF. ON 10/12/06 I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT CAME ON AND OFF AND THEN REMAINED ON. I IMMEDIATELY TELEPHONED THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP (LIVONIA CHRYSLER JEEP, MICHIGAN) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE IN. THE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE TECHNICIAN HOOKED UP A HAND HELD DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND A "PASSENGER SQUIB OPEN" CODE CAME UP. I WAS ASKED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE. I SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL STATING THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WENT OFF AND THERE WERE FOUR STORED INACTIVE CODES. HOWEVER, SINCE THERE WERE NO ACTIVE CODES, THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. I INQUIRED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND WOULD MY AIRBAGS WORK IF IN AN ACCIDENT OR COULD THE AIRBAG DEPLOY FOR NO REASON. THE REPRESENTATIVE COULD NOT ADVISE ME. I STRESSED MY CONCERN BUT WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND TO BRING IT BACK IN. WELL, THAT IS WHAT I DID THIS LAST TIME. I MUST ADMIT THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS VERY NICE AND TRIED TO HELP, BUT HONESTLY DID NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS. ON 10/16/06 I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE. NO LIGHT WAS ON. ON 10/17/06 I TELEPHONE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS…”

“ON JULY 11, 2005 I DROVE FROM MY HOME IN BOLIVIA, NC TO DUNN, NC (APPROX. 125 MI) TO PICK UP MY GRANDSON & A FRIEND. WHILE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CRACKERBARRELL RESTAURANT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RT 421 & I95, I STARTED THE ENGINE AND LEANED OUT THE WINDOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY DAUGHTER. SUDDENLY BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS EXPLODED FILLING THE CAR WITH SMOKE AND FUMES. ALL THREE OF US IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AUTOMOBILE. I SUFFERED A SEVERE BRUSED AND CUT RIGHT ARM AND BRUSING TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY NECK & SHOULDER AND A TWISTED RIGHT KNEE. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN DUNN BY THE PARAMEDICS & RELEASED. THE CHILDREN WERE NOT INJURED. HAD THE INCIDENT OCCURRED FIVE MINUTES LATER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING SOUTH ON #421, A 2 LANE HWY USED MOSTLY BY 18 WHEELERS AND OTHER LARGE TRUCKS. NO DOUBT I WOULD NOT BE HERE WRITING THIS REPORT. I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR IF THE AIRBAG HAD EXPLODED IN MY FACE WHILE TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE EXPLODED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIRBAG ON THE DIRVERS SIDE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING…”

“DT:CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE WHILE IN CARPORT. HE PUT THE CAR REVERSE MOVED ABOUT 1 FOOT AND THE DASH BLEW UP. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS SO LOUD THAT NEIGHBORS HEARD IT FROM INSIDE THEIR HOUSES AND CAME RUNNING OUT. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE CONSUMER SAID THAT SMOKE BELLOWED OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. PARTS OF THE CAR WERE BLOWN ALL OVER THE INTERIOR. CONSUMER SAYS INCIDENT WAS LIKE A BOMB GOING OFF. CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT HE HAD BEEN CAR BOMBED. CONSUMER SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL CONTACT TO VEHICLE TO CAUSE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. CONSUMER SAYS THERE ARE OTHER WITNESSES AVAILABLE. CONSUMER SAYS INVESTIGATOR THAT LOOKED AT VEHICLE TOLD CONSUMER THAT HE HAD INVESTIGATED 3 OTHER SUCH INSTANCES. *JB”

“WHILE DRIVING THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON. THIS INDICATES A FAILURE IN THE AIR BAG THAT COULD RESULT IN PREMATURE OR NONE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM”