CNN Money recently announced that American car maker Chrysler has recalled “almost 300,000 model year 2008 minivans for a problem that could cause airbags to deploy unnecessarily.” The affected models include the Chrysler Town & Country, Grand Voyager and the Dodge Grand Caravan, the news source explains.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the potential number of affected vehicles is 299,718. The recall notice indicates that these minivans were manufactured between June 24, 2007 and July 30, 2008. The majority of these vehicles were sold in the United States, Family Car Guide reports, with 50,251 units being sold in Canada, 3,748 in Mexico, and 13,633 in other countries.
CNN reports that “Chrysler had previously recalled these minivans to fix a condition in which condensation from the vans’ air conditioners could leak onto the Occupant Restraint Control Module, a computer chip that controls the airbags.” Although the news source explains that “Chrysler dealers repaired the drainage system for the air conditioners so that water wouldn’t drip onto the airbag controllers,” that fix might not have been sufficient. Due to these failed repair attempts, moisture may have leaked into the airbag controls anyway, causing the current problem.
The notice from the NHTSA further states that affected units could have condensation leaks from the HVAC grommet and that the leak could affect the occupant restraint control module. This could possibly cause the airbag warning light to activate and could also cause an airbag to deploy with no warning. If the airbag were to accidentally deploy, the result could be injury to the passenger sitting in front of the bag, as well as the possibility of a crash.
According to CNN, Chrysler maintained that there have not been any accidents or injuries in connection to the faulty airbags in units that were previously repaired after the earlier recall. The automaker said it would begin notifying customers with affected vehicles via letter, and advising them to schedule an appointment for repair at a Chrysler dealership. The repairs will be at no charge to the customer.
Other recent recalls from Chrysler include 2006 through 2010 Jeep Wranglers for a brake fluid leak, 2009 Wranglers, Grand Cherokees and Commanders for reversed wiring on the airbag controls, and 2008 and 2009 Dodge Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country models for faulty wiring that could possibly lead to sliding door fires.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a defect in the air conditioning or airbag systems in one of the affected Chrysler models, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with automobile recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
Kane, Suzanne. (August 4, 2011) “2008 Chrysler, Dodge Minivans: Recall Alert.” Retrieved on November 1, 2011 from Family Car Guide.
Valdes-Dapena, Peter. (August 4, 2011) “Chrysler recalling 300,000 minivans for airbag problem.” Retrieved on November 1, 2011 from CNN Money.