Owners of 2012 Dodge Grand Caravans describe a range of airbag-system problems. The most common complaint is an airbag warning light that comes on intermittently or stays constantly illuminated, often appearing within minutes of starting the vehicle or when turning the steering wheel. Some owners took their vans to dealers for recall repairs (NHTSA Campaign 17V376000 or 15V313000) only to have the warning light remain after service; dealers then refused to diagnose or repair it, claiming the light was outside the recall's scope. One owner reported that a dealership performing the T33 recall cut the protective sleeve short instead of properly installing it per specifications, leaving wiring exposed—and when the owner contacted the dealership for corrective work, management promised follow-up that never materialized.
Two owners reported spontaneous deployment of the front-seat active headrest without any collision. In one case the vehicle was unoccupied in the driveway; a broken internal plastic latch was found. One owner also reported that airbags failed to deploy during a serious side-impact collision at highway speed, resulting in passenger injuries.
Horn failure appears tied to airbag assembly problems in two cases; the horn contact is part of the airbag assembly. One owner found visible cracking at the horn location and could not reinstall the airbag until the assembly was properly repaired.
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag warning light illumination—persistent or intermittent
Airbag warning light comes on and stays on or cycles on and off while driving. Dealers or technicians either report the airbag control module needs replacement, or claim the warning is unrelated to the recall and do not diagnose or repair the condition.
When: 2015 to 2019; one reported at 34,115 miles, another at 51,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light stays on constantly; Airbag warning light comes on and off intermittently, especially when turning the steering wheel or starting the vehicle; Light present within a few minutes of starting the vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers diagnosed airbag control module replacement needed (complaint #8); work not completed in some cases. Other owners report dealers refused to repair, citing the condition as outside recall scope.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 17V376000 (airbag recall) completed but failed to resolve warning light. Campaign 15V313000 (airbag recall) parts unavailable, delaying repair.
Improper recall repair—exposed wiring on driver airbag assembly
Dealership performing T33 airbag recall cut the protective sleeve short instead of fully installing it per the recall procedure, leaving a portion of wiring unprotected. Work was not thorough or properly completed.
When: Discovered during vehicle service
Symptoms owners cite: Exposed wiring on airbag assembly; Protective sleeve installed incompletely
Repairs/costs cited: Protective sleeve (6mm) was cut short to fit around retaining clip rather than removed to allow full-length installation. Owner removed airbag assembly pending proper repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall work completed by Greenway CDJR (now Singing River CDJR) with improper execution. General manager agreed to schedule corrective appointment (10/31) but owner reports no follow-up or rescheduling.
Airbag non-deployment during side-impact collision
In a significant side-impact collision at highway speed (60–65 mph) involving multiple impacts with guardrail, airbags did not deploy. Passengers sustained whiplash and broken noses.
When: During highway accident; collision force should have triggered deployment
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy during side-impact collision; Multiple guardrail impacts at 60–65 mph; Passenger injuries: whiplash and broken noses
Spontaneous active headrest deployment
Active (motorized) headrest in front seats deployed suddenly without any impact or accident. One incident occurred while vehicle was unoccupied in driveway; another while wife was driving. Internal plastic latch mechanism broken.
When: One instance 4 months before complaint (vehicle unoccupied); another during normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Headrest deployed without collision or impact; Internal plastic latch mechanism broken
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership quoted $822 to replace headrest plus $129 labor. Owner noted class-action lawsuits alleging defective design or materials.
Horn and steering-column function failure tied to airbag assembly
Horn function stopped working in two cases; both involve airbag assembly removal or malfunction. In one case, interior cracking visible at horn location. Horn is integrated into the airbag assembly.
When: 2016 onward (one complaint); another at 34,115 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Horn inoperative; Visible crack in interior trim where horn contact is located; Loss of other steering-column functions reported in one case
Repairs/costs cited: Owner could not reinstall airbag assembly due to improper recall repair. Horn failure creates safety hazard requiring emergency vehicle maneuvering.
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.