NHTSA Complaint #11071869 — 2009 DODGE CALIBER

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.