2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser: airbag warning light

Filed Dec 17, 2014 · Airbags, Seat belts · 160,600 miles · VA · 1 injury

As I was driving there was suddenly a loud explosion and the smell of black powder (like a gunshot) and I was hit very hard in the upper right chest, driver's side, by a shock wave that felt as if I had been shot. The odor was coming from the area near the brake and gas pedals. The air bag light had been coming on and off randomly for months. It never stayed on more than a few seconds. I had the car in for its big va state inspection, to the tune of $2059.03, in april at the chrysler dealership where I have taken it for one year. Air bags are not part of a regular inspection so it was not checked. I was able to drive the car into the nearest chrysler dealership, by luck it was within a mile of where the incident happened), and asked the men in service, who know me and had serviced this car for ten years, to come out and smell it. They concurred it smelled as if an explosion had happened inside the car. The airbag had not deployed; nor should it have...there was no crash or anything. I left the car there. My chest hurt. I contacted chrysler in detroit and a week later they sent their special va engineer with his computer to check the computer in the car. The other day I received an official letter that my claim was being denied; nothing had been found. So I went over to the dealership and the service man drove it around the lot to give to me. I was going to take it home. He had not put the seat belt on to drive it to me. I got in and the airbag light was on all the time and the seat belt would not extend. I cannot drive the car with an inoperable seat belt and with the air bag light on. It must have been the propellant that hit me in the chest, as the bag did not deploy. It was so fast, so hard, and scared me to death. I reported this to you after it happened, but am re-reporting it now because of the "results" of chrysler's official inspection.

Filed Dec 16, 2014 · Airbags · 160,000 miles · VA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chrysler pt cruiser. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, there was a loud bang and the air bag warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that there was an aroma of smoke inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000. Updated 1/21/15*cn updated 9/11/2017

Filed Nov 22, 2014 · Airbags · 160,000 miles · VA · 1 injury

I have had the car tuned and inspected this past year and had mentioned that the air bag light came on sporadically. Like the "check engine light," it apparently meant nothing, I was told, as it was the original, never used, airbag. Yesterday as I was driving on a four-land highway there was a large explosion and the smell of cordite, as if I had been shot. My chest felt crushed, as if it had been hit, compressed, whatever...and the seat belts tightened, but the air bag did not deploy. I did not know what had happened. I thought I had been shot. No blood, no bullet hole. Chest hurt. Chest did not hurt because of a seatbelt, but the compression from the blast. I was in the right lane and just held the car steady, very disoriented and shaken. Chest hurt. I realized I was within a mile (a miracle) of one of the two chrysler dealerships that has worked on this car over the past 15 years, so I drove it in and stumbled, breathless, into the service area,, where they knew me at once by name. They knew I was shaken and was having trouble talking and walking. My chest had been hit very hard and I found out the air had been knocked out of my lungs. They have the car, had never seen this happen before. No one has worked on it yet. I am going over there today to ask them not to work on it until my lawyer decides if it is "evidence" for some new kind of air bag hazard. I have no car now. I want other drivers and owners to know that a ten-year-old car and ten-year-old airbag are dangerous. This car has never had an accident and this is the original airbag. My idea: airbags need to be rotated out and changed every few years so this does not happen.

Filed Nov 18, 2011 · Airbags · 85,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chrysler pt cruiser. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer made an attempt to diagnose the failure, but the contact refused. The manufacturer was not contacted. A local mechanic made an attempt to repair the defect also but the failure recurred. The failure and the current mileage was 85,000.

Filed May 16, 2011 · Airbags · 90,000 miles · CA

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chrysler pt cruiser. The contact stated that the air bag warning light suddenly illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they performed a diagnostic test which concluded that the blowing module needed to be replaced; however, her warranty did not cover that type of failure. The manufacturer was not aware of the failure. No repairs were performed. The current and failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was unavailable.