Problems · by component
1996 Dodge Intrepid air bags problems
34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Intrepid cite air bags, 7% of all 515 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
34
7% of all complaints
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TAKATA RECALL: I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND A PIECE OF METAL WENT THROUGH MY EYE CAUSING IMMEDIATE BLINDNESS AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE LEFT EYE. THE PIECE OF METAL WAS PULL OUT IN THE ER. THERE WERE NO OTHER INJURIES. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET IN DETROIT MI TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH. I'VE BEEN WEARING A PROSTHETIC EYE SINCE.”
“THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY WHICH AFFECTS THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATING/AC COMPONENT. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON THE WINDOWS & HEATER/AC STOPPED WORKING. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL WHEN THE IGNITION IS IN THE OFF POSITION. I HAD A 1993 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM DESCRIBED ABOVE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF AT TIMES BY ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH ALLOWED THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND HEATER/AC TO WORK UNTIL THE LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON. THE DIFFERENCE IS I CANNOT GET THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO TURN OFF AT ALL ON THE 1996 MODEL, THE DIFFERENCE BEING BETWEEN THE TWO MODELS IS THAT THE 93 HAD THE GEAR SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR CONSOLE; WHILE 96 IS ON THE COLUMN. THE FACT THAT THE 93 AND 96 BOTH HAVE THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT AFFECTING THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATER/AC IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT ONE THING SHOULD AFFECT THE OTHER, BUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT TO BE UNTRUE. IN MY OPINION THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH EITHER THE SENSORS OR SOMETHING IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, OR POSSIBLY THE WIRING WITHIN THE…”
“THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF IT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME WHEN IT IS ON THE HEATER WINDOWS HORN AND REAR BACK UP LIGHTS AND REAR DEFROSTER DO NOT WORK WITH NO HEATER/DEFROSTER IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE ICE OFF THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOWS EVEN WHILE HAVING THE PASSENGER CONSTANTLY TRYING TO SCRAPE OFF THE ICE IT JUST INSTANTLY RE FREEZES CAUSING VERY DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO THIS THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A DEEP DITCH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND WE HAD TO BE TOWED OUT OF THE DITCH WITH A HOIST AND A LIFT AND BACK TO THE ROAD BY A COMMERCIAL WRECKER FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION THIS PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE CLOCK STOP THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH PROMPTED A RECALL ON DODGE AND CHRYSLER MINI VANS OF THE SAME YEAR WHY WASN'T THIS CAR RECALLED TOO? I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE INTERNET FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BY OTHER DODGE INTREPID OWNERS THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ALSO THE FACT THE WINDOWS DON'T WORK CAN CAUSE ENTRAPMENT IN THE VEHICLE”
“MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID, WHILE MOVING FORWARD AT APPROXIMATELY 20 - 25 MILES PER HOUR STRUCK AN ABRUPTLY STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED LATE. EVEN WHILE WEARING MY SEATBELT, MY FOREHEAD STRUCK THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING INJURY, AND DIRECTLY AFTER THUS MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR”
“I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT (I WAS THE DRIVER)IN WHICH MY CAR WAS IMPACTED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE (1997 FULL-SIZE DODGE VAN). THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE, THE LEFT FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE (DODGE INTREPID, 1996). THE IMPACT WAS SO STRONG THAT IT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BREAK IN HALF, AMONG OTHER DAMAGES. I WAS USING THE SEAT BELT, AND SAW THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME-ON; BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. I HAVE NOT GONE TO THE DEALER WITH THIS INFORMATION. WILL DO SO, ONCE THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS COMPLETED ITS REPORT. MY CAR HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BECAUSE THE REPAIR COSTS EXCEED THE MARKET VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOT SUFFER MAJOR INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT DID CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TO TIGHTEN ITS GREEEP AND THIS DID CAUSED SOME BRUSING AND SEVERE CHEST AND SIDE PAIN. I AM SENDING THIS COMPLAINT SO THAT THE PROBLEM CAN BE NOTED AND IF IT HASN'T REPORTED PREVIOUSLY AND CORRECTED, THAT IT BE DONE, AS TO AVOID OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND FACE WORSE LUCK THAN I. *JB”
“WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THEN, WHILE SITTING THERE CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS STILL DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK”
Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 13, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.