2009 Dodge Caliber Air Bags & Restraints Problems

Car was involved in an accident that resulted in a total loss . Air bags did not deploy. Car is currently at a towing company and can be inspected. No warning lights were on.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH, AN UNKNOWN SUBARU CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL. THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DETACHED FROM VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT CALLED BEMIDJI CHRYSLER CENTER (755 PAUL BUNYAN DR NW, BEMIDJI, MN 56601 (877) 289-6012) WHO REFERRED CONTACT TO MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE AND A TOTAL LOSS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

SPECIFICALLY, IN MY MODEL SAFETY BELT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SECURELY FASTENED (I.E., CLICKED IN BUCKLE) IN ORDER FOR CHIME TO STOP. THIS IS A NO-NO. IN FACT, IF I HOLD THE UNSECURED BELT IN MY LEFT HAND WHILE HOLDING THE WHEEL AT THE SAME TIME, THE CHIME WILL STOP. IF, HOWEVER, I LET IT RETRACT SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE WINDOW, THE CHIME WILL COME BACK ON. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. ONLY WHEN BELT IS FULLY BUCKLED SHOULD THE CHIME CEASE. WHILE THIS DOES NOT POSE A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY, IT CERTAINLY IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT BELT CHIME WAS AUDIBLE WHEN THE SEAT BELT WAS UNBUCKLED. IF THE SEAT BELT WERE HELD APPROXIMATELY TEN INCHES AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THE CHIME WOULD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHN ELWAY'S CLAREMONT CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (620 AUTO CENTER DR, CLAREMONT, CA 91711, (909) 962-7462) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000.

WHILE TRAVELING AT VERY SLOW SPEED (WAS NAVIGATING THRU PARKING GARAGE), WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE PASSENGER SIDE-CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYED (NO ONE WAS IN THE RIGHT-FRONT SEAT AT THE TIME). THERE WAS NO IMPACT/CRASH (NOT EVEN A BUMP), THE AIRBAG JUST DEPLOYED BY-ITSELF. CONTACTED FIAT/CHRYSLER. THEY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR/INSPECTOR FROM HOUSTON (2 HOURS AWAY). TO DOWNLOAD BOSCH AIRBAG COMPUTER DATA, AND INSPECT THE VEHICLE. INVESTIGATOR SPENT TWO HOURS TAKING HUNDREDS OF PICTURES, MEASUREMENTS, ETC. NOTE: SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, AS WE ARE TOLD THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO ON AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS. FINALLY, AFTER REQUESTING MULTIPLE TIMES (AS OWNERS MANUAL SAYS WE ARE ENTITLED TO, FIAT/CHRYSLER PROVIDED INFO DOWNLOADED FROM AIRBAG COMPUTERS WITH CDR (CRASH DATA REPORT, EVEN THO THERE WAS NO CRASH). WE UNDERSTAND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT EVENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECORDED. AFTER 3 MONTHS OF THE VEHICLE SITTING, NOT BEING DRIVEN, THE REPORT SAYS THERE WAS [NO EVENTS RECOVERED]. SO... IT SOUNDS LIKE THE AIRBAG COMPUTER DIDN'T KNOW THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE AIRBAG/SRS LIGHT ON THE DASH, REMAINS ILLUMINATED, WITH NO IDEA, WHATSOEVER, CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. FIAT/CHRYSLER'S OFFICIAL RESPONSE: THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE CAN RENDER NO MORE ASSISTANCE WITH THE MATTER.

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT CRASH WITH A GUARDRAIL FACE. THERE WAS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BUT NEITHER OCCUPANT WAS BUCKLED. SEATBELT PRE-TENSIONER FIRED AND PULLED THE D-RING OUT OF THE B PILLAR. THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OCCUPANT INJURIES.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH SHE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO FALL INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HER BODY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT SHOULDN'T HAVE UNLATCHED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

AFTER GETTING MISLEADING DIRECTIONS AND GOING DOWN AN UNKNOWN ROAD AND ENDING AT A STOP SIGN, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAITED A COUPLE MINUTES BEFORE DECIDING TO PASS THROUGH THE STOP SIGN ACROSS THE INTERSECTION. UPON PASSING ON OF THE LANES OF TRAFFIC WHERE THERE WAS A VEHICLE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WHICH GAVE ME MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO GET ACROSS THE ROAD AND OUT OF NOWHERE A VEHICLE CAME FROM THE RIGHT SIDE AND STRUCK MY VEHICLE FULL SPEED AT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON SEEING THE VEHICLE LAST MINUTE MY DRIVER HIT THE BREAKS TO PREVENT MUCH WORSE INJURY AND THE VEHICLE HIT US AND THE PASSENGER WAS THEN JOLTED BACK TOWARD THE PASSENGER DOOR AND FACE STRUCK THE WINDOW AND NOSE WAS BROKEN IN THE PROCESS. NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AT POINT OF IMPACT, THEREFORE, ALL THREE PASSENGERS SUFFERED WHIPLASH INJURIES, ONE ALMOST BREAKING HER NECK, ONE BROKEN NOSE, AND KNEE BRUISING. THE VEHICLE AT THE MOMENT IS BEING APPRAISED AT THE MOMENT BUT EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD SHIFTED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND IS LOOSE INCLUDING THE BATTERY AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRED IS SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH THE SHOCK SITTING ON TOP OF IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO YIELD TO THE LEFT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,500.