Investigations
FRONT AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05061 - closed, opened 2005-11-10.
NHTSA investigation PE05061 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-11-10 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-03-08 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE05061 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THE MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005 DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DC) MINIVANS HAVE THE NEW ADVANCED FRONTAL AIR BAG SYSTEMS WITH TWO FRONT CRASH SENSORS MOUNTED ON THE FRAME RAILS BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER AND A MAIN CRASH SENSOR INSIDE THE AIR..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
THE MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005 DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DC) MINIVANS HAVE THE NEW ADVANCED FRONTAL AIR BAG SYSTEMS WITH TWO FRONT CRASH SENSORS MOUNTED ON THE FRAME RAILS BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER AND A MAIN CRASH SENSOR INSIDE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE MOUNTED IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ACCORDING TO DC, THE FRONT CRASH SENSORS ARE DESIGNED TO OPTIMIZE DETECTION OF FRONTAL OFFSET AND ANGULAR CRASHES. THE ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM OFFERS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AIR BAG INFLATION BASED ON INPUT FROM THE CRASH SENSORS. THIS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FRONT CRASH SENSORS CAN CORRODE FROM WATER ENTERING THE SENSOR ASSEMBLY. DC IS STILL INVESTIGATING ALL POTENTIAL ROOT CAUSES OF SENSOR FAILURES. A CORRODED SENSOR CAN SET A FAULT CODE, ILLUMINATE THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND BECOME DISABLED. IT APPEARS THAT FAILURE OF ONE OR BOTH FRONT CRASH SENSORS CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN NO/LATE DEPLOYMENT OF FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND NON-DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S HIGHER INFLATION LEVELS IN CERTAIN FRONTAL CRASHES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A CRASH MAY NOT BE AWARE OF LATE OR IMPROPERLY REDUCED LEVEL OF AIR BAG INFLATION AND THUS FIELD REPORTING OF SUCH EVENTS MAY BE SUPPRESSED. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-003) FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF MY 2005 (AND 2006) DC MINIVANS. NOTE: TOTAL NUMBER OF ODI AND MANUFACTURER COMPLAINTS INCLUDES SOME DUPLICATE REPORTS.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.