2002 Chrysler Town & Country Air Bags & Restraints Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO GALEANA CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (14375 S TAMIAMI TRL, FT MYERS, FL 33912), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

TAKATA RECALL

MY CAR COLLIDED WITH A 1999 FORD F150. MY CAR HIT THE TRUCK FROM BEHIND. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF MY CAR. IN FACT, MY CAR WAS TOTALED AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND FELT A VIBRATION. THE CONTACT PARKED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. A SECOND EXPLOSION OCCURRED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG EXPLODED. THE DASHBOARD WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC SEAT BELT COVER BECAME DETACHED FROM THE SEAT BELT. IN ADDITION, THE ADJUSTABLE UPPER SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE HAD THREE CRACKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPROACHING A PARKING SPACE, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE SITUATION WAS ESCALATED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN NOTIFIED AND TOWED THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER PROCEEDED TO DENY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 137,000.

SINCE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES WHEN VEHICLE STARTS UP EVEN WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL HORN DOES NOT OPERATE AT ANY TIME AND THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED RADIO CONTROLS DOES NOT OPERATE. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT IS LIT, WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED BUT CAME BACK ON AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR REPAIR. IT IS A 2002 TOWN AND COUNTRY, 2001 AND 2003 WERE RECALLED FOR SAME SAFETY DEFECT. WHY IS OUR YEAR EXEMPTED, IS CHRYSLER THAT INEPT TO FIX PROBLEMS??? *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. I CALLED THREE TIMES AND THEY SAID MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY? *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF CONSTINTLY

2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON. AFRAID IT WILL DEPLOY. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON IN MY 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. APPEARS THAT AIR BAG WON'T DEPLOY WITH LIGHT ON. SEE HTTP://WWW.ALLWORLDAUTO.COM/COMMENTS/2002_CHRYSLER_TOWN_AND_COUNTRY_COMMENTS_AND_COMPLAINTS_66-428-2002-1.HTML FOR LITANY OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

MY WIFE WAS TURNING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AN COLLIDED WITH A SNOWMOBILE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INFLATOR (SEALED OVER) AND THE AIRBAG EXPLODED PUTTING SHRAPNEL INTO HER BODY. BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE AIR BAG AND THE BODY MOST OF THE SHRAPNEL WENT INTO HER CHEST, WITH THE AIRBAG PLATE BREAKING APART STRIKING HER IN THE CHIN BREAKING HER JAW IN THREE PLACES. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR A GREAT AMBULANCE CREW SHE WOULD HAVE BLED TO DEATH. SHE WAS IN A TRAUMA HOSPITAL FOR 3 AND 1/2 MONTHS. SHE HAS PERMANENT MUSCLE AND NERVE DAMAGE, THE JAW IS NOT ALIGNED CORRECTLY SO HE HAS PROBLEMS EATING.

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO LIGHT (INTERMITTENTLY) AT APPROX 58,500 MILES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. PROGRESSIVELY BECAME MORE FREQUENT, AND WOULD REMAIN LIT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME / MILES. THE FEW TIMES THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD CEASE, I WAS ABLE TO TRIGGER THE ERROR BY WIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. SUSPECTED THE 'CLOCK SPRING' CABLE IN STEERING COLUMN, SINCE THE PROBLEM SOUNDED VERY SIMILAR TO RECALL 04V480000 (WHICH COVERS 1998-2000 TOWN & COUNTRY MINIVANS). BECAME CONCERNED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT AIR BAGS WOULD LIKELY NOT DEPLOY IF THE WARNING LIGHT WAS LIT DURING AN ACCIDENT. REQUESTED DEALER INSPECT AND ADVISE. I ALSO POINTED OUT THE EARLIER RECALL ON 1998-2000 MODELS. DEALER INDICATED A $100 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE WOULD BE BILLED TO ME. I SPOKE TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 21-JULY 2008 WHO INDICATED NO RECALL WAS IN EFFECT FOR 2002 T & C'S, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. CUSTOMER SERVICE INDICATED I MIGHT GET REIMBURSED IF A RECALL WAS EVER ORDERED. END RESULT: DEALER TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE 'CLOCK SPRING' WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS INDEED FAULTY AND SO I PAID THE DEALER $244.41 TO REPLACE THE 'CLOCK SPRING'. AIR BAG LAMP NOW ONLY LIGHTS DURING THE TEST PHASE / INITIAL START-UP AND QUICKLY GOES OUT (AS IT SHOULD). PLEASE NOTE: IN CONTRAST TO EARLIER REPORTS OF 'CLOCK SPRING' FAILURE / DEFECT, I DID NOT HAVE ANY CONCURRENT PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL OR HORN WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. THESE WORKED FINE BEFORE AND AFTER REPAIR. *TR

ON JUNE 28, 2008 WE PURCHASED A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN FROM A LOCAL DEALER. WHEN I TEST DROVE IT I NOTICED A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD, FRONT HEADLIGHT FOGGED UP FROM MOISTURE INSIDE IT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE SALESPERSON WHO STATED SHE WOULD MAKE SURE THESE THINGS WERE FIXED AS THEY INTERFERED WITH THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE ALL THINGS SEEMED TO BE ALRIGHT AND THEN AFTER A FEW MILES THE AIRBAG LIGHT AGAIN ILLUMINATED AND STAYED THAT WAY. I TOOK THE VAN BACK IN AND TOLD THE SALES MANAGER ABOUT THE LIGHT. AT FIRST HE REFUSED TO FIX IT FOR FREE. EVENTUALLY HE STATED THAT THEY WOULD FIX IT IF WE PAID $100 TOWARDS THE REPAIR. I DECIDED TO ACCEPT THIS OFFER. WHEN I RETURNED TO PICK UP THE VAN ALL SEEMED WELL BUT AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING THE LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THINKING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING FURTHER WE COULD DO, WE DROVE IT THAT WAY. WE STILL OWN THE VAN AND ONLY RECENTLY I WAS TOLD THAT AS LONG AS THAT LIGHT WAS ON THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. WE ARE NOW WANTING TO SELL THE VAN BUT CAN'T DUE TO THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. I ALSO ONLY LEARNED RECENTLY THAT A DEALER CAN NOT LEGALLY SELL A VEHICLE WHILE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON LIKE THAT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY RIGHT SIDE AIRBAG INTERNALLY OPENED (2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY 3.3 V-6) STATED BY METRO JEEP AND CHRYSLER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED. I HAVEN'T BEEN IN ANY KIND OF COLLISION. AT METRO JEEP & CHRYSLER. I WAS TOLD THAT IF A NEW MODULE IS NOT PUT IN, THE RIGHT SIDE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER"S (CHRYSLER) ERROR. *JB

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND DOESN'T GO OFF. I TOOK IT TO A REGULAR REPAIR SHOP AND THEIR COMPUTERS CAN'T ANALYZE THE PROBLEM, IT HAS TO BE RETURNED TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. IS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? *TR

MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM IN THE CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY HOWEVER THIS YEAR (2002) DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL. I ALSO HAVE A 2005 TOWN & COUNTRY THAT IS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I WANT MY AIRBAG PROBLEM COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG PROBLEM AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. PLEASE CONTACT ME AND TELL ME HOW I CAN HAVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON IN THE 2002 TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED SHORTLY AFTER STARTING IT AND AS WE DROVE INTERMITTENTLY. IT STAYED LIT FOR 5-20 SECONDS EACH TIME. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO ASK THE QUESTION, AND WAS TOLD THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE CLOCK SPRING. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE ON BACK ORDER, ESPECIALLY FOR STEERING WHEELS WITH THE RADIO CONTROLS BUILT IN WHICH MINE HAD. THE PARTS REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE COULD ORDER IT BUT DIDNT KNOW WHEN IT WOULD BE IN. IN ADDITION, I THERE WAS A COST FOR INSTALLATION AS WELL AS THE PART. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT AN AIRBAG MISFIRE OR FAILURE TO FIRE, AND HE SAID THAT THE AIRBAG DEACTIVATED WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT AS LONG AS THE LIGHT WAS OFF IT SHOULD WORK FINE. ALSO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY RISK OF MISFIRE, BUT HE COULDNT GUARANTEE IT. IS THIS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ON THE AIRBAG WON'T FIRE? SHOULD I BE CHARGED FOR SUCH A REPAIR IF IT WAS SAFETY RELATED? I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE SINCE I TRAVEL WITH MY FAMILY IN IT.*AK

IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT "GENERATION 3" SEAT BELTS MAY RELEASE ACCIDENTALLY IN A CRASH. I UNFORTUNATELY HAVE THESE IN MY CAR WHERE MY THREE KIDS SIT. IT AMAZES ME HOW LITTLE PRESSURE IT TAKES TO RELEASE THESE BELTS AND HOW EXPOSED THE BUTTONS ARE. I CAN SEE WHY IT WOULD VERY EASILY COME UNDONE IF BUMPED BY SOMETHING OR SOMEONE IN A CRASH. *JB