NHTSA Complaint #11062044 — 2006 DODGE CHARGER

THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND FAILED TO RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT DURING A CRASH. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A SEVERE FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SEVERE, DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE, DEFORMED FRAME RAILS AND WAS DIRECTLY FRONTAL. THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER, AN ADULT FEMALE, WAS BELTED BUT HER HEAD HIT THE DASH IN THE AREA OF THE AIRBAG FLAP AND SHE SUFFERED FATAL HEAD INJURIES. THE ECM WAS DOWNLOADED AND REVEALED THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM HAD FAILED TO RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE EPROM DATA READ "FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASS: UNDETERMINED" EVEN THOUGH AN ADULT FEMALE WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TRW AUTOMOTIVE U.S. LLC AND KELSEY-HAYES COMPANY ARE THE SUPPLIERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND RELATED PARTS THAT FAILED. SEE ALSO ODI 11002482. *DSY *BF ** *TR