Safety Recall V01 / NHTSA 19V-018 Passenger Airbag Inflator – 2010-2016 Dodge Chrysler Ram & Jeep

January 15, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V018000

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V018

Manufacturer Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

Components AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected 1,413,222

 

Summary

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver’s frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

 

Remedy

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is V01.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Vehicle has a Recall

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Revised (1) February 2019

Dealer Service Instructions for:

Safety Recall V01 / NHTSA 19V-018 Passenger Airbag Inflator

 

NOTE: Added NHTSA number to title.  Revised Section C, D, E, and G to include GUNI inflator kit installation.  Revised Parts Information section to include GuNi inflator kits.  Added unique GuNi LOPs.

 

SPECIAL NOTE:  All GuNi inflator kits require the installation of a fabric gasket which is included in the kit.

 

Remedy Available 

 

 

 

 

Subject

The front passenger airbag inflator on about 1,427, 900 of the above vehicles may rupture, due to excessive internal pressure, during normal airbag deployment events. This condition is more likely to occur if the vehicle has been exposed to high levels of absolute humidity for extended periods of time.    An inflator rupture, during airbag deployment events, could result in metal fragment(s) striking the vehicle occupant(s) resulting in serious injury or death.

 

Repair

The passenger airbag inflator must be replaced.

 

Parts Information

NOTE: Do not destroy the replacement inflator packaging, it will be used to return the original inflator to the supplier.

 

 

NOTE: Dealers should determine which inflator package is required for each vehicle at the time appointments are scheduled to assure that the correct part is available when the customer arrives.  The inflator package for the vehicle to be serviced may be determined by using the inflator kit usage chart below.

 

 

 

Parts Return

Use the procedure on this page to package the original inflator in the replacement kit box and return. Shipping/return instructions are provided with each inflator kit.

International (including Mexico), Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands:   No parts return required.  Destroy the original inflator using locally approved methods.

 

Special Tools

The following special tools are required to perform this repair:

 

 

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29 Affected Products

Vehicles

 

 

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10 Associated Documents

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V018-6075.pdf 4258.947KB

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-19V018-6898.PDF 219.298KB

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – 01/15/2019 New Safety Recall Advanced Communication – V01

RCMN-19V018-9040.pdf 99.947KB

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-19V018-4530.pdf 245.128KB

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-19V018-7084.pdf 525.922KB

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V018-0542.pdf 4589.901KB

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V018-3915.pdf 4790.699KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2019-1

RCLQRT-19V018-5350.PDF 211.162KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2019-2

RCLQRT-19V018-2763.PDF 211.275KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2019-3

RCLQRT-19V018-3412.PDF 211.366KB

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=19V018&docType=RCL

 

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1 Associated Investigation

Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA ID: EA15001
Dated opened: February 24, 2015

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers. All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.

During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers. Nonetheless, at ODI’s insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation. The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures. As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.

Takata’s initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida. Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas. Takata’s testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions. During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.

Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina. Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls. Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity. Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing. All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.

The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time. ODI’s investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.

The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

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