My Air bag light will not go out. Not sure what the problem is, cleaned all contracts in the connectors and seat belts and connectors under the seats. Check for a blown fuse. Could not find any bad fuses.
2008 Chrysler Aspen airbags problems
severe 39 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
39
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
3crashes
2injuries
What stands out
Owners have filed 39 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Airbags accounts for 25% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 7 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2008 Chrysler Aspens describe two critical airbag problems: unwanted deployment and failure to deploy when needed.
One owner reports both curtain airbags deployed at highway speed (55–65 mph) with zero impact. The airbag module falsely sensed a rollover; the vehicle shut down, making steering nearly impossible, and the owner had to coast to the roadside. Chrysler refused warranty repair, citing warranty expiration and no recall for that specific module.
The larger cluster concerns Takata inflator defects under NHTSA campaigns 15V313000 and 16V352000. Multiple owners report the passenger side airbag inflator can rupture during deployment after years of heat and humidity exposure, ejecting metal fragments. Chrysler has offered repairs only for the driver side, leaving passenger side owners told to either not drive the vehicle or not allow anyone in the passenger seat. Parts remain unavailable despite recalls issued years prior—one owner waited over two years for passenger side repair, with no timeline for driver side. Dealers cannot provide repair dates, and Chrysler refuses loaner vehicles.
Conversely, two owners report airbags failed to deploy in serious frontal crashes (one hitting a deer head-on at 50+ mph, another striking a semi). One owner suffered neck injury and another sustained broken bones from head to chest to knee.
A fifth group reports persistent airbag warning lights that stay on or blink intermittently, with cleaning connectors and checking fuses providing no resolution.
Same Chrysler Aspen airbags reports on nearby years: 2007 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Unwanted airbag deployment (no-impact)
Curtain airbags deploy suddenly while vehicle is in motion at highway speed with no collision or rollover occurring. Airbag module reads false rollover sensor data.
When: At highway speed (55-65 mph)
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light comes on before deployment; Both driver and passenger side curtain airbags deploy without impact; Vehicle shuts down completely after deployment; Steering becomes extremely difficult
Codes mentioned: Rollover sensor code (false positive)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer refused warranty repair/replacement; insurance denied claim as electronic malfunction
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler stated vehicle was out of warranty and no recall issued for this specific module
Takata passenger airbag inflator rupture risk
Passenger side airbag inflator housing designed to rupture under deployment pressure after heat/humidity exposure, potentially ejecting metal fragments into occupants. Drivers told not to use passenger seat or not to drive the vehicle.
When: After years of heat and humidity exposure
Symptoms owners cite: Metal shrapnel hazard if inflator ruptures during crash; Recall issued but only driver side fix available; no passenger side solution
Codes mentioned: Takata inflator defect (campaigns 15V313000, 16V352000)
Repairs/costs cited: Chrysler offered new vehicle purchase discount but no dealership will accept the recalled vehicle as trade-in
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA campaigns 15V313000 and 16V352000 issued; Chrysler unable/unwilling to repair passenger side; advised not to drive or allow passenger occupancy
Takata driver airbag inflator rupture risk
Driver side airbag inflator housing subject to rupture during deployment after heat/humidity exposure, with metal fragment ejection risk. Part availability delays prevent timely recall repair.
When: After years of heat and humidity exposure
Symptoms owners cite: Metal fragment hazard during deployment; Recall notification but parts unavailable for extended periods
Codes mentioned: Takata inflator defect (campaigns 15V313000, 16V352000)
Repairs/costs cited: Parts not available within reasonable timeframe; dealers unable to provide repair dates; multiple owners report 2+ year delays
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA campaigns 15V313000 and 16V352000 issued; Chrysler could not provide parts availability or estimated repair timeline; no loaner vehicles offered
Airbag non-deployment in frontal crash
Airbags fail to deploy during frontal collision with significant impact forces (hitting deer head-on at 50+ mph; striking semi with engine crushing).
When: At 50+ mph impact
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment despite extensive front-end damage; Occupant injury (neck injury, broken bones head to chest to knee)
Airbag warning light stays on/intermittent
Airbag warning light illuminates on dash and stays on or comes on intermittently while driving. Owner cleaned connectors, checked seat belt connections, and tested fuses without resolution.
When: Started 5 months before reporting; now happens more often
Symptoms owners cite: Warning light on dash stays illuminated; Ding/beep warning sound; Light goes off then comes back on
Repairs/costs cited: Owner attempted troubleshooting: cleaned connectors, seat belt connections, checked for blown fuses
Synthesized from 39 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler aspen. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler aspen. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 15v313000 (air bags) and 16v352000 (air bags). However, the part to do the repairs were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not…
My vehicle recall was sent out about 4 months ago and the manufacturer still does not have replacement parts sent to the dealers to install--why?
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler aspen. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 15v313000 (air bags) & 16v352000 (air bags) however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler aspen. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chrysler aspen. The contact received a notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution…
Had airbags trouble with your 2008 Chrysler Aspen?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2008 Chrysler Aspen?
It's a meaningful issue. 39 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 30,000 and 117,000 miles, with the median around 95,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 30,000; a quarter make it past 117,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Chrysler/Aspen.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.