2008 Dodge Caliber: airbags did not deploy in a crash

Filed May 29, 2014 · Visibility · 70,000 miles · FL · crash

During a severe rainstorm in my area, I was leaving an event parking lot to drive home. While waiting at the stop light I attempted to turn on my windshield wipers because of the severe rain. They failed to start. While sitting at the light I restarted my car hoping that would alleviate the apparent 'short' in the windshield wipers, but it did not. As the light turned green, I was forced to move forward. While driving slow, I rolled my window down and attempted to guide the car to a safe spot to pull over. I couldn't identify a place through all of the rain, and also I was driving in busy downtown traffic. I started to slow down more but looked forward and all I could see were trees coming up quickly through the blurry windshield; I immediately jolted to a stop as I hit an island/median in the middle of the road. My car was scraped by trees and parking cones which were laying in the median. I heard scraping and a large thud as my car came to a stop. Still in the rain, I put my hazards on and waited until the police arrived. My airbags did not deploy and I am extremely irritated that my windshield wipers suddenly stopped working in a terrible rainstorm. This accident could have been much worse. My vehicle is 6 years old; at the 5 year mark I took it in for a full-system maintenance where I was told that everything was working fine. I am very disappointed in my choice in purchasing dodge.

Filed Feb 3, 2014 · Airbags, Body · 68,000 miles · UT · crash · 1 injury

Traveling on highway in winter road conditions. Driver lost control on black ice. Hit highway guardrail head on, then on the pax front side, then on driver front side. Major damage to front costing approx $6000.00 in damage. Air bag did not deploy even thought lights on dash were activated as deployed. With seat belt on passenger was thrown forward hitting steering wheel and knees to lower dashboard. Sever concussion as result, bruising and soreness. Vehicle was purchased in 2011 from enterprise/national car rental with 31k miles on it.

Filed Feb 28, 2013 · Airbags · 63,000 miles · PA · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge caliber. The contact stated that the driver's side frontal air bag failed to deploy when the driver crashed into a tree. The driver suffered injuries to the knee and arms. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not inspected for the air bag failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 63,000.

Filed May 30, 2012 · Airbags, Lights · 86,500 miles · AZ · crash · 1 injury

Sitting on I-10 stopped when a tractor trailer rear ended me. His speed was 40 miles per and no airbags deployed. The front air bags should have helped me from getting my face cut and prevented my injury. I wish the bags would have worked. We just had the car checked out at the dodge dealer a few months prior. The driver front bag burning me would have been better then the blunt force to my face.

Filed Aug 6, 2009 · Airbags · 23,011 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge caliber sxt. While driving 60 MPH, the contact crashed into the side of another vehicle. Her vehicle rolled over and traveled down an embankment. The frontal and side air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injures to her legs, neck, and intestines. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified and responded in writing that the air bags functioned properly. The manufacturer stated that she would receive a call back. The insurance company stated that the vehicle was destroyed. The current and failure mileages were 23,011. Updated 10/27/09.*lj updated 10/29/09.

Filed Dec 8, 2008 · Airbags · 6,400 miles · OR · crash · 1 injury

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge caliber. While driving approximately 35 MPH in rainy weather conditions and at night, the contact's vehicle was cut off the road by another vehicle. Suddenly, the vehicle hydroplaned when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the cement barrier. The air bags failed to deploy and the three air bag sensors were destroyed. The contact was severely injured. The police and ambulance were called to the scene and a police report was filed. The vehicle was completely destroyed and towed to the collision center. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 6,400.

Filed Oct 22, 2008 · Airbags, Brakes · 10,000 miles · NC · crash

I was traveling to a t intersection; I was the one who was required to make the left or right hand turn. My brakes stopped working and I went from ~55mph to 45mph over the course of a football field or so. I should have been able to stop completely but that wasn't the case. It was the 2008 caliber srt4. The srt4 has a massive brake kit from the charger and magnum on it which should have made it stop relatively quickly. I mashed my vehicle into another vehicle at the intersection and my airbags did not deploy. I believe there is something wrong with the brakes and airbags on the 2008 caliber srt4.

Filed Mar 2, 2008 · Airbags · MS · crash · 2 injuries

My boyfriend and I had a single car accident in my 2008 dodge caliber this past weekend. During the accident we were traveling between 40 and 50 MPH in fog and were unaware that the road we were on ended in the shape of a "t". We then flew in the air landed and crashed the whole front part of my car. The angle at which we landed was with the front of the car pointed down. The air bags did not deploy. His injuries include 3 chipped molars on the right side of his mouth and a piece of flesh missing from the left side of his mouth. His left jaw is also swollen and he can hardly open his mouth to eat. My injuries include a swollen left knee, both knees are skinned up. My left shoulder as an imprint of my lace shirt on it and is sore to the touch, both my arms are in pain and the left is scrapped. I can't look to either side without having to move my whole body and I can't look up with my neck. My chest, ribs and breast bone are also sore, sore enough in fact that I had to be taken to the emergency room the night after because I had thrown up that morning and it was hurting to breathe and from the stress I either had a seizure or anxiety attack.