1996 DODGE INTREPID — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TAKATA RECALL: I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND A PIECE OF METAL WENT THROUGH MY EYE CAUSING IMMEDIATE BLINDNESS AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE LEFT EYE. THE PIECE OF METAL WAS PULL OUT IN THE ER. THERE WERE NO OTHER INJURIES. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET IN DETROIT MI TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH. I'VE BEEN WEARING A PROSTHETIC EYE SINCE.

AFTER PURCHASING CAR FROM AUCTION, WE TOOK FOR EMISSIONS TESTING IN ORDER TO PURCHASE A TAG. WE WERE TOLD THE TEST COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE THE COMPUTER HAD NOT FINISHED THE TESTS. WE WERE ADVISED HOW TO COMPLETE THE DRIVING REQUIREMENTS AND TO COME BACK AFTER THAT. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS THE TESTS STILL SHOWED INCOMPLETE. NOW SIX YEARS LATER THE ODBII STILL WILL NOT COMPLETE AND ACTUALLY RESTARTS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. AFTER LOTS OF RESEARCH WE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDESPREAD AND A DEFECT THAT REQUIRES THE ECU TO BE FLASHED WITH UPDATED PROGRAM INFORMATION. THERE IS EVEN A TSB #181897 WHICH COVERED THIS. DEALERS ARE EITHER UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OR WANT TO CHARGE CLOSE TO $100. WE BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD DO THIS SERVICE AT NO CHARGE SINCE IT IS S DEFECT THAT THEY ARE AWARE EXISTS. THERE ARE NO CODES BEING THROWN AND WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TAG THE CAR FOR MANY YEARS. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY WHICH AFFECTS THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATING/AC COMPONENT. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON THE WINDOWS & HEATER/AC STOPPED WORKING. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL WHEN THE IGNITION IS IN THE OFF POSITION. I HAD A 1993 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM DESCRIBED ABOVE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF AT TIMES BY ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH ALLOWED THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND HEATER/AC TO WORK UNTIL THE LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON. THE DIFFERENCE IS I CANNOT GET THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO TURN OFF AT ALL ON THE 1996 MODEL, THE DIFFERENCE BEING BETWEEN THE TWO MODELS IS THAT THE 93 HAD THE GEAR SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR CONSOLE; WHILE 96 IS ON THE COLUMN. THE FACT THAT THE 93 AND 96 BOTH HAVE THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT AFFECTING THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATER/AC IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT ONE THING SHOULD AFFECT THE OTHER, BUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT TO BE UNTRUE. IN MY OPINION THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH EITHER THE SENSORS OR SOMETHING IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, OR POSSIBLY THE WIRING WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF MANUFACTURING ISSUES. THIS DOES POSE AS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN AND THE HEATER/AC WILL NOT COOL/HEAT THE CAR AND THE DEFROSTER CANNOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS OF CONDENSATION; WHICH CREATES OBSTRUCTED VIEW. THE NONWORKING HEATER/AC SEVERELY RESTRICTS THE TIMES YOU CAN DRIVE THE CAR, UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RISK HEAT EXHAUSTION DURING SUMMER OR FROSTBITE DURING THE WINTER. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY WHICH AFFECTS THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATING/AC COMPONENT. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON THE WINDOWS & HEATER/AC STOPPED WORKING. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL WHEN THE IGNITION IS IN THE OFF POSITION. I HAD A 1993 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM DESCRIBED ABOVE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF AT TIMES BY ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH ALLOWED THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND HEATER/AC TO WORK UNTIL THE LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON. THE DIFFERENCE IS I CANNOT GET THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO TURN OFF AT ALL ON THE 1996 MODEL, THE DIFFERENCE BEING BETWEEN THE TWO MODELS IS THAT THE 93 HAD THE GEAR SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR CONSOLE; WHILE 96 IS ON THE COLUMN. THE FACT THAT THE 93 AND 96 BOTH HAVE THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT AFFECTING THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS & THE HEATER/AC IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT ONE THING SHOULD AFFECT THE OTHER, BUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT TO BE UNTRUE. IN MY OPINION THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH EITHER THE SENSORS OR SOMETHING IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, OR POSSIBLY THE WIRING WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF MANUFACTURING ISSUES. THIS DOES POSE AS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN AND THE HEATER/AC WILL NOT COOL/HEAT THE CAR AND THE DEFROSTER CANNOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS OF CONDENSATION; WHICH CREATES OBSTRUCTED VIEW. THE NONWORKING HEATER/AC SEVERELY RESTRICTS THE TIMES YOU CAN DRIVE THE CAR, UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RISK HEAT EXHAUSTION DURING SUMMER OR FROSTBITE DURING THE WINTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ONCE SHE MERGED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD THE VEHICLE BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,000.