Accidentally-Firing Airbags Spark Massive Dodge Minivan Recall

Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 300,000 Dodge Grand Caravans in North America after it was found that the driver’s airbag could accidentally fire at random times. That’s not so grand.

You could be barrelling down the interstate when suddenly… you get the idea. Apparently the minivan’s airbag wiring can ‘chafe’ against pieces of steering wheel trim, ultimately wearing through the plastic sleeve and causing a chain reaction of short-circuits that makes the bag a little too keen to do its normally life-saving duty.

No deaths have been reported as a result of random airbag explosions, which is good news, but Fiat Chrysler has admitted that at least eight “minor” injuries have been linked to the problem.

Dodge is carrying out repairs and upgrades on 296,838 Grand Caravans; 209,135 in the US and 87,703 in Canada. We understand the recall only affects 2011 and 2012 models.

Via: USA Today