Photo: Dodge
Ever since the Takata debacle the simple mention of a recall caused by defective airbags has been enough to send shivers down everybody's spine. Even when the recalls are not directly related to the Japanese parts maker.
Airbags are the cause of a massive recall announced by American carmaker FCA at the end of last week. It's not the frontal ones to blame, but the side air bag inflatable curtain ones installed in some of the vehicles the company has made over the past few years.
More to the point, the modules for the Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) systems could potentially come with unwanted moisture inside them. As per FCA, moisture may have inadvertently made its way into the modules during the manufacturing at the hands of an unnamed supplier.
FCA says it discovered the issue during a "routine review of customer feedback" and adds that the inflator modules involved "do not use the same propellant or inflator design as previously recalled Takata airbags."
The moisture problem could lead to corrosion and potential rupture inside the airbag, which in turn translates into the discharge of inflator material inside the cabin. Naturally, that could translate into injury for the occupants.
There have been five incidents potentially related to this issue that have been investigated by FCA, all of which occurred when the temperature inside the vehicles was above 120 degrees Fahrenheit (almost 49 degrees Celsius). No injuries or accidents resulting from them have been discovered so far.
The cars potentially affected by this issue are Dodge Chargers manufactured from 2018 to 2021, and Chrysler 300 sedans produced during the same years. The recall list includes a total of 284,982 vehicles in the U.S., with an additional 30,000 recalled in Canada, Mexico, and regions outside North America.
Not all these cars have the defective inflators, as the company says it estimates less than one percent of them are truly affected. To learn if your Dodge or Chrysler is impacted, you can visit the recalls section on the Mopar website, checktoprotect.org, or call (800) 853-1403.
FCA does not say when it will begin notifying owners but does reveal that the fix for the problem is completely replacing the SABIC modules wherever they are found to be faulty. As per the company, "the remedy has been developed and we are accumulating parts so dealers will be equipped to provide service."
The Dodge Charger in its most recent incarnation, the 2023 model year, sells in America from $35,325 and it is available in no less than seven trims, with the top-of-the-range one, the SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak going for three times as much as the entry-level.
The Chrysler 300, which is available for now only in the 2023 model-year guise, is selling in four trim levels from $36,145.
More to the point, the modules for the Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) systems could potentially come with unwanted moisture inside them. As per FCA, moisture may have inadvertently made its way into the modules during the manufacturing at the hands of an unnamed supplier.
FCA says it discovered the issue during a "routine review of customer feedback" and adds that the inflator modules involved "do not use the same propellant or inflator design as previously recalled Takata airbags."
The moisture problem could lead to corrosion and potential rupture inside the airbag, which in turn translates into the discharge of inflator material inside the cabin. Naturally, that could translate into injury for the occupants.
There have been five incidents potentially related to this issue that have been investigated by FCA, all of which occurred when the temperature inside the vehicles was above 120 degrees Fahrenheit (almost 49 degrees Celsius). No injuries or accidents resulting from them have been discovered so far.
The cars potentially affected by this issue are Dodge Chargers manufactured from 2018 to 2021, and Chrysler 300 sedans produced during the same years. The recall list includes a total of 284,982 vehicles in the U.S., with an additional 30,000 recalled in Canada, Mexico, and regions outside North America.
Not all these cars have the defective inflators, as the company says it estimates less than one percent of them are truly affected. To learn if your Dodge or Chrysler is impacted, you can visit the recalls section on the Mopar website, checktoprotect.org, or call (800) 853-1403.
FCA does not say when it will begin notifying owners but does reveal that the fix for the problem is completely replacing the SABIC modules wherever they are found to be faulty. As per the company, "the remedy has been developed and we are accumulating parts so dealers will be equipped to provide service."
The Dodge Charger in its most recent incarnation, the 2023 model year, sells in America from $35,325 and it is available in no less than seven trims, with the top-of-the-range one, the SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak going for three times as much as the entry-level.
The Chrysler 300, which is available for now only in the 2023 model-year guise, is selling in four trim levels from $36,145.
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