2004 Chrysler Pacifica Air Bags & Restraints Problems

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT (13 JULY 16), SE MICHIGAN HAD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND STREET FLOODING. I DROVE THROUGH THIS FOR AT LEAST 6 MILES. THE NEXT MORNING AS I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK, I GOT INTO THE CAR, BUCKLED MY SEAT BELT AND PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE. THERE WAS A LOUD "CRUNCHING" NOISE BUT NO MOVEMENT. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, GOT OUT TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING BEHIND THE CAR TO MAKE THAT NOISE BUT THERE WASN'T. I GOT BACK IN THE CAR, BUCKLED UP, PUT THE CAR'S GEAR INTO REVERSE AGAIN. NO MOVEMENT, BUT AN INCREDIBLY LOUD SCREECHY, WHINY NOISE COULD BE HEARD 4 TOWNHOUSES AWAY. I BARELY TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR SHOT BACKWARDS OUT OF THE SPACE, ACROSS THE LOT, UP OVER A CURB, THROUGH A FLOWER BED, TAKING OUT A LARGE, WOODEN SIGN AND STOPPING ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL. POLICE AND EMTS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. I WAS TRANSFERRED BY AMBULANCE TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE VEHICLE'S SYSTEMS, BUT I WOULD THINK THIS WAS A THROTTLE ISSUE. FOR THE FEW SECONDS THE CAR WAS MOVING IN REVERSE, I WAS STOMPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES WERE "STIFF" AND THE PEDAL WOULD ONLY GO HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARDS. WITNESSES STATED THE CAR SHOT OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE "LIKE A BULLET" AND/OR "LIKE A ROCKET" AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO STOP THE CAR AT THAT SPEED.

LETTER FROM SENATOR GARRETT ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA AIRBAG. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG PANEL OPENED AND THE AIR BAG COULD BE SEEN. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THERE WAS NO ISSUE WITH THE AIR BAG ITSELF. *JB

WHEN I BOUGHT IT I DROVE IT 20 FEET TO GAS STATION. THE GAS TANK SAID I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS. ONCE I WAS DONE I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND IT SAID I HAD NO GAS! I CALLED THE GUY WHO SOLD IT TO ME AND HE SAID IT JUST TAKES TIME FOR IT TO REREGISTER THAT I FILLED IT UP SO I DROVE IT BACK TO HIM TO SHOW HIM WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE GOT THERE IT SAID I HAD HALF A TANK AND HE TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT HOME I WOULD BE FINE! WELL ON THE WAY HOME IT SAID I HAD 20 MILE TILL EMPTY BUT THE LAST THING IT SHOWED ON GAS TANK WAS THAT I STILL WAS AT HALF TAKE SO I FILLED IT UP AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY BROTHERS WHICH IS 35 MILES FROM FARGO TO HAVE HIM SEE IF HE COULD FIX THE PUMPS BUT HE COULDN'T SO I GOT BACK ON INTERSTATE GOIN 75 MPH TO GO HOME AND THE GAS LIGHT FLICKERED AND THE CAR WENT FROM 75 TO 0 IN LIKE 2 SECONDS. RESULTING IN MYSELF BASHING MY HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL AND NO AIR BAGS WENT OFF EITHER! MY HUSBAND CAME TO GET ME AND BROUGHT GAS CANS TO GET ME ENOUGH GAS TO MAKE IT TO A GAS STATION! IT TOOK US 58 MIN EXACTLY TO FILL THE TANK COMPLETELY FULL SO I COULD MAKE IT BACK HOME. SO THE NEXT DAY I CALLED BACK AND THEY EVENTUALLY HAD ME TAKE IT TO LUNDES IN FARGO TO FIX THE GAS TANK WHICH TOOK 1 MONTH ALMOST 2, SO WHEN I GOT IT BACK MULTIPLE TIMES IN BETWEEN THAT TIME IT WAS STILL HAPPENING! FINALLY THEY FIX IT EXCEPT THE FACT THAT A YEAR LATER IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN! WHICH WAS 5 DAYS AGO ON MY WAY TO JAMESTOWN WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR! I HAVE CALLED MANY OF PLACES AND NOBODY KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT. IF I GO BACK TO LUNDES THEY SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA WHY IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN! AND HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE THEM TO FIGURE IT OUT! IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED EARLIER IF I ACTUALLY DROVE THE CAR MORE BUT EVER SINCE THE ACCIDENT WHEN I DRIVE THAT CAR I CAN'T STOP CHECKING HOW FULL THE TANK IS! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH THAT CAR! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE DASHBOARD WAS BECOMING DETACHED, DUE TO THE AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH IN A RAIN STORM, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A TREE BRANCH THAT SUDDENLY FLEW ACROSS THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE BACK AND FORTH EXCESSIVELY AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. NONE OF THE SEVEN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INBOUND LOT. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH INJURIES TO HIS BACK, HEAD AND NOSE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,470.

THE CLOCKSPRING INSIDE MY STEERING WHEEL IS BROKEN - IT CONTROLS MY AIRBAGS - WHEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN'T REPAIR IT BECAUSE THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER - THIS MEANS THAT WHEN I DRIVE MY VEHICLE, I HAVE NO AIRBAGS. THEY HAD NO ESTIMATE OF WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE WITHOUT AIRBAGS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING FAILED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I DECIDED TO REPORT THIS COMPLAINT WHEN I READ OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN A AUTOMOTIVE NEWSPAPER COLUMN. I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IN MY 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. FORTUNATELY MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT (OR I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM), AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER. THERE WAS NO COLLISION THAT MADE THE BAG DEPLOY, NOR DID I RUN OVER ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WAS "FRIED" IN ADDITION TO THE BAG DEPLOYING. THE CAR DEALER AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM CHRYSLER WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY--THEY BLAMED THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT HAD DONE SOME COLLISION WORK ON THE CAR A MONTH EARLIER. THE COLLISION SHOP SAID THAT THE WORK THEY DID WAS NOWHERE NEAR ANYTHING RELATED TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. NO ONE COULD GIVE AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED EVEN AFTER THEY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE OVER A WEEK'S TIME. SO, DESPITE THEIR BEING NO RATIONAL REASON WHY THE AIRBAG WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOY, CHRYSLER STILL REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR OFFER ANY COMPENSATION--IN FACT THEY WERE EXTREMELY RUDE ON THE PHONE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WOULDN'T COVER THE DAMAGE AND FRANKLY I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED SINCE THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WE WERE FORCED TO "JUNK" THE CAR AND BUY A NEW/USED ONE. CHRYSLER IS LUCKY THAT THE DEPLOYING AIRBAG DIDN'T CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND THAT NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THAT SEAT. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN DIED, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK INTO OR ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE! *TR

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH SLUSH DOWN A HILL WHEN THE ABS BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW ME DOWN AND I HIT TREES HEAD ON AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. TWO SYSTEMS FAILED ON THE 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA AWD CAR. I WAS NOT INJURED, OTHER THAN A FEW SEAT BELT BRUISES, BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT TURNS THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATES. THE DEALER ORDERED A CLOCK SPRING; HOWEVER, THE PART HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR OVER TWO WEEKS. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,200.

1 SRS CLOCK SPRING FAILURE 97,000 5 /YR. RESULTS: AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY (SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED) , NO HORN, CRUISE CONTROL UNEXPECTEDLY CUTS OUT OR DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. 2 ALL OF ABOVE REMAIN DISABLED UNTIL CLOCK SPRING IS REPLACED. AIR BAG IS EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND HORN IS EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE NECESSARY TO AVOID HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS WHILE DRIVING. HTTP://WWW.MOTORTREND.COM/ROADTESTS/ONEYEAR/112_0412_2004_CHRYSLER_PACIFICA/INDEX.HTML MOTORTREND REPORTS THIS FAILURE TWICE IN THE 1 YR TEST AND REVIEW OF VEHICLE. CLOCK SPRING IS ONGOING ISSUE FOR CHRYSLER SINCE 1998. 3 REPLACE CLOCK SPRING HARNESS, OLD PART AVAILABLE. *TR

I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE THAT RAN A RED LIGHT AND NONE OF MY AIR BAGS INCLUDING SIDE IMPACT ONES DEPLOYED. THE CRASH TOTALED MY CAR AND I SUFFERED A BROKEN HAND, NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *TR

04 CHRYSLER PACIFICA WAS STRUCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY A SEMI, AS A RESULT OF THAT THE PACIFICA THEN STRUCK THE GUARD RAIL ON ITS DRIVERS SIDE. THE IMPACT WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO BREAK MULTIPLE WINDOWS, TAKE A TIRE COMPLETELY OFF ITS RIM, AND YET THE SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT COME OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE WAS FORCED TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID A VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SIX TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. WITNESSES AT THE SCENE STATED THAT DURING THE THIRD ROLLOVER, A 9-YEAR OLD CHILD, LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE ROW ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE AND DIED. THE CHILD WAS WEARING A SEATBELT AT THE TIME. ALL OF THE OTHER PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DRIVER AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND LATER DETERMINED TO BE DESTROYED. THE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 08/05/08

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND RESTARTED. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO HAD NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE DEPLOYMENT. UPDATED 10/30/2006 - *NM

DURING MIDTOWN DRIVING, WITH MY 9 YEAR OLD SON SEAT BELTED INTO THE REAR (MIDDLE) SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER, UPPER SEAT BELT BRACKET AND BOLT FELL OUT OF ITS LOCATION IN THE DOOR POST. *JB

DT: VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND SHATTERED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE MECHANIC SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A DEFECT IN THE AIR BAG.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE PULLED OVER TOO FAR AND SANK INTO A DITCH. THEN, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A COUPLE OF TREES AND CAUGHT ON FIRE . UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED A DISLOCATED ANCLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA AWD WITH SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK, BY A SECOND VEHICLE TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED THAN SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS MOVING, BROADSIDE. THE IMPACT WAS AT 90% TO LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. DRIVER DOOR, CENTER POST AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR SEVERELY DAMAGED. ROCKER PANEL ALSO SEVERELY DAMAGED. CENTER POST ENTERED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT APPROXIMATELY 5+ INCHES. DRIVERS SEAT DAMAGED. DRIVER EXPERIENCED INJURY TO LEFT SIDE OF HEAD, SHOULDER, BACK, LEFT HAND AND LEFT ANKLE. LEFT CALF OF LEG AND WHIP LASH TO NECK. DRIVER WAS WEARING SEAT AND SHOULDER BELT AT TIME OF COLLISION. VEHICLE DAMAGE SEVERE AND DETERMINED TO BE TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY ADJUSTER. *NM

FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER FENDER AREA. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL.*AK