DEFECT INVESTIGATION: DODGE/DURANGO AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

NHTSA Action Number : PE06045	NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make / Models :		Model/Build Years:
DODGE / DURANGO		2006
Manufacturer : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
Component : AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Date Investigation Opened : October 19, 2006
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary: NHTSA R&D IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING AN EJECTION MITIGATION TEST PROGRAM. MORE THAN A DOZEN VEHICLE MODELS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS, INCLUDING THE MODEL YEAR (MY) 2006 DODGE DURANGO, ARE INCLUDED IN THE TEST PROGRAM. AS PART OF THE TEST PROCEDURE, THE HEADLINER IN THE TEST VEHICLE IS REMOVED PRIOR TO TESTING AND THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED EXTERNALLY. IN THREE OUT OF 35 TESTS FOR THE DURANGO, THE METAL GAS-DISTRIBUTION TUBE (OR DIFFUSER TUBE) FOR THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG FRACTURED DURING DEPLOYMENT AND THE AIR BAG FAILED TO INFLATE PROPERLY. IN ADDITION, THE BROKEN DIFFUSER TUBE RUPTURED THE AIR BAG AS IT DROPPED DOWN. ALL THREE FRACTURES OCCURRED AT THE SAME LOCATION ON THE DIFFUSER TUBE (BETWEEN B-PILLAR AND C-PILLAR) MOUNTED ALONG THE HEADLINER FROM THE A-PILLAR TO D-PILLAR. ALL OF THE AIR BAGS THAT WERE TESTED WERE NEW SERVICE PARTS FOR USE ON AN ESTIMATED 8,300 MY 2006 DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ROLLOVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIMILAR FAILURES OR ANY OTHER CATASTROPHIC FAILURES OF SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS IN SEVEN OTHER VEHICLE MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED TO DATE. ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY FIELD INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO THE TEST FAILURES ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES; THERE ARE NO NHTSA CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, EWR REPORTS OR SCI REPORTS AT THIS TIME.