NHTSA Complaint #10992614 — 2016 DODGE JOURNEY

CAR HAS 20K MILES, WHILE DRIVING THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALERSHIP DISCOVERED THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL, THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT WATER BOTTLES HAD ROLLED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND BROKEN THE WIRES FOR THE AIRBAGS. THIS IS A 8 SEAT FAMILY VEHICLE AND CAN BE ASSUMED THAT CHILDREN WOULD BE IN THE BACK SEAT, THEREFORE SPILLS AND/OR TRASH ARE LIKELY TO ROLE UNDER THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS, YET THE WIRES IN QUESTION OR THIN, FRAGILE, AND UNPROTECTED. FURTHERMORE, I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY WARNING LIGHTS THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG THE AIRBAGS HAVE NOT BEEN FUNCTIONING. DURING A GOOGLE SEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL OLDER DODGE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SIMILAR ISSUE, YET DODGE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DESIGN FLAW. THE WIRES UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT SUPPOSEDLY DO NOT AFFECT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS SUSPECT THAT THESE ISSUE OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME (AND COMPLAINTS ON OTHER DODGE VEHICLES HAVE INDICATED THAT MOVEMENT OF THE SEATS DISLODGED THE WIRES AND TURNED OFF ABS AND AIRBAGS). THE DEALERSHIP WANTS 300 DOLLARS TO FIX THE WIRES, BUT OFFERS NO WAY OF PREVENTING THE PROBLEM FROM REOCCURRING. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THREE SAFETY RECALLS ON THIS MODEL THAT NEITHER DODGE OR THEIR SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE NEVER INFORMED ME OF! I BELIEVE THIS MODEL NEEDS TO BE CLOSELY INSPECTED, AS IT ALREADY HAS THREE SAFETY RECALLS IN LESS THAN A YEAR (NOT INCLUDING THIS ISSUE). I DO NOT HAVE PICTURES, BUT THE DEALERSHIP DOES.