Side/window Air Bag problems of the 1998 Dodge Ram 1500

The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, the driver side air bag erroneously deployed. The contact indicated that during the incident the vehicle had not made contact with anything to cause the air bag to deploy. The driver suffered an injury to the left. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no remedy was offered. The failure mileage was 165,000.

In Nov. 2005 another driver run a stop sign directly in front of me. I hit a small pick up broadside at 30 mph. It did $2500 damage. Neither right or left side air bag deployed.

The Dodge trucks have a serious defect in their horn system. Improper packing of the driver-side air bags renders the horn inoperable. I purchased my 1998 Dodge 1500 new in 1998. I have never been able to get the horn to work. Dodge dealer in washington said it needed repacked but I was leaving for texas and time was not available to wait for the parts. Upon arrival at beaumont, texas I took the truck to mike smith autoplex Dodge. The service representative could not blow the horn and said she would order a repack and call me when it came in. Two months later I found out from her that the manager canceled it and refused to fix the horn under the warranty. Every year I wire a micky mouse rig on the column wired directly to the horn to pass inspections. Recently had service at mike smith and the same service manager said the horn needed repacked, said crysler had problems with the horns and did not know why the manager had refused to fix it. I have been driving this unsafe truck since 1998 and had many close calls and never able to use the horn to warn vehicles and pedestrians of danger. The manager that refused to fix it admitted that Dodge had trouble with the horns on these trucks. After fooling with it for a while he did get it to blow, only time anyone has been able to blow the horn and it took him two hands and a lot of pressure. These trucks are dangerous.

While traveling at 55 mph the driver accidently hit the curb. While tryng to recover the driver went off the curb and applied brakes, the vehicle skidded violently and locked up as if the anti-lock brakes were not working at all. Vehicle skidded into the curb and the right rear tire hub and wheel seperated from the axle, causing the vehicle to flip four times, and neither side airbag deployed. 7810022 dup od 780994; posted on 09-07-1999.

Driver side air bad did not deploy during a 30 mph crash. Driver sustained neck injuries.