Air Bag Inflators May Rupture or Underinflate Bag – 1998-2000 Mitsubishi Montero

January 23, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V035000

Air Bag Inflators May Rupture or Underinflate Bag

In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V035

Manufacturer MitsubishieBay logo Motors North America, Inc.

Components AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected 20,000

 

Summary

MitsubishieBay logo Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 1998-2000 Montero vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

 

Remedy

MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflator, free of charge. An interim letter notifying owners of the safety risk was mailed March 20, 2020. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA’s number for this recall is SR-20-001.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Mitsubishi has a Recall

 


* * ADVANCE TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE * *

DATE: March 20, 2020
TO: MitsubishieBay logo Motors US and Puerto Rico Dealer Principals, Service Managers, and Parts Managers
RE: 1998 – 2000 Montero NADI Inflators – Safety Recall Campaign
ATIN NO. ATIN-20-SR-001-B

 

 

AFFECTED VEHICLES: Certain 1998 – 2000 Montero vehicles

PURPOSE

On January 22, 2020, MMNA submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a Defect Information Report regarding Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI Inflators) installed in certain 1998 – 2000 Montero vehicles.

According to Takata, NADI Inflators manufactured between May 1995 and March 1999 may absorb moisture, causing the NADI Inflators to rupture or the airbag cushion to underinflate in vehicle collisions involving airbag deployment. If a NADI Inflator ruptures or the airbag cushion underinflates in a vehicle collision involving airbag deployment, vehicle occupants could potentially be at increased risk of serious injury or death.

MMC is in the process of investigating NADI Inflators in MitsubishieBay logo vehicles and is working to establish a remedy plan.

On March 20, 2020, interim owner notification letters will be mailed to affected owners, informing them that MMNA is making every effort to establish a remedy and will contact them again by mail with a follow-up recall notice when a remedy becomes available. Included below is a sample copy of the interim owner notification letter for your information.

You will be notified again when additional updates become available. In the event you receive any direct customer inquiries regarding this issue, please refer them to the MMNA Customer Relations Hotline at (888) 648-7820. We appreciate your patience while we make the necessary preparations to launch this recall.

 

IMPORTANT

Affected new or used inventory vehicles must be repaired before the vehicle is sold/delivered.  Dealers must check their inventory vehicles’ VINs on the Warranty Super Screen to verify whether the vehicle is involved in this recall campaign.  It is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell/deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment (including a tire) covered by the notification under a sale or lease until the defect or noncompliance is remedied.


This notice applies to your vehicle,                                          .

Date: March 2020

Dear FIRSTNAME LASTNAME,

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. 

Reason for interim notice:MitsubishieBay logo Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1998 – 2000 Montero vehicles. According to Takata, Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured between May 1995 and March 1999 (installed in certain 1998 – 2000 Montero vehicles) may absorb moisture, causing the NADI Inflators to rupture or the airbag cushion to underinflate in vehicle crashes involving airbag deployment. If a NADI Inflator ruptures or the airbag cushion underinflates in a vehicle crash involving airbag deployment, vehicle occupants would be at an increased risk of serious injury or death. MMNA is making every effort to establish a remedy and will contact you again by mail with a follow-up recall notice when a remedy becomes available.
What you should do:Once you receive your follow-up notice in the mail advising that a remedy is available, simply contact your local Authorized MitsubishieBay logo dealer and schedule an appointment to have the repair performed, free of charge.

 

If you have any questions, please contact the MitsubishieBay logo Customer Relations Department at 888-648-7820. Hours: Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Central Time)

If, after receiving a follow-up notice in the mail advising that a remedy is available and contacting MitsubishieBay logo Customer Relations, you still have a problem getting this repair made promptly and/or without charge, you may submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. 20590, or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to https://www.safercar.gov.

If you have already encountered a problem with the NADI Inflator and had it replaced as a result of this specific condition and have paid for the repair, you may send your original repair order or invoice, and original receipt/proof of payment to the following address for reimbursement consideration:

MitsubishieBay logo Motors North America Inc., Customer Relations, P.O. Box 689040, Franklin, TN 37068

 

If you are the lessor of this vehicle, please forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days to comply with federal regulations.

 

Sincerely,

MitsubishieBay logo Motors North America, Inc.

C2001R

 


* * ADVANCE TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE * *

DATE:February 5, 2020
TO:MitsubishieBay logo Motors US and Puerto Rico Dealer Principals, Service Managers, and Parts Managers
RE:1998 – 2000 Montero NADI Inflators – Safety Recall Campaign
ATIN NO.ATIN-20-SR-001-A

 

 

AFFECTED VEHICLES: Certain 1998 – 2000 Montero vehicles

PURPOSE

On January 22, 2020, MMNA submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

(NHTSA) a Defect Information Report regarding Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI Inflators) installed in certain 1998 – 2000 Montero vehicles.

According to Takata, NADI Inflators manufactured between May 1995 and March 1999 may absorb moisture, causing the NADI Inflators to rupture or the airbag cushion to underinflate in vehicle collisions involving airbag deployment. If a NADI Inflator ruptures or the airbag cushion underinflates in a vehicle collision involving airbag deployment, vehicle occupants could potentially be at increased risk of serious injury or death.

MMC is in the process of investigating NADI Inflators in MitsubishieBay logo vehicles and is working to establish a remedy plan.

You will be notified again when additional updates become available. In the event you receive any direct customer inquiries regarding this issue, please refer them to the MMNA Customer Relations Hotline at (888) 648-7820. We appreciate your patience while we make the necessary preparations to launch this recall.

 

IMPORTANT

Affected new or used inventory vehicles must be repaired before the vehicle is sold/delivered.  Dealers must check their inventory vehicles’ VINs on the Warranty Super Screen to verify whether the vehicle is involved in this recall campaign.  It is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell/deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment (including a tire) covered by the notification under a sale or lease until the defect or noncompliance is remedied.

 

(4924)

 


3 Affected Products

Vehicle

MAKEMODELYEAR
MITSUBISHIeBay logoMONTERO1998-2000

 


7 Associated Documents

Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V035-3941.PDF 212.981KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V035-4594.pdf 244.209KB

 


ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-20V035-9077.pdf 202.609KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- ADVANCE TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE

RCMN-20V035-2925.PDF 181.039KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- 1998 – 2000 Montero NADI Inflators – Safety Recall Campaign

RCMN-20V035-3016.PDF 38.781KB

 


Recall 573 Report – Amendment 1

RCLRPT-20V035-3474.PDF 214.053KB

 


Recall 573 Report – Amendment 2

RCLRPT-20V035-3481.PDF 214.097KB

 


1 Associated Investigation

Takata NADI Airbag Inflators
NHTSA ID: EQ19002
Dated opened: December 16, 2019

In a Part 573 Defect Information Report (DIR) dated December 3, 2019, Takata (TK Global LLC) notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI), produced between May 1, 1995 and August 31, 1999, which lead to NHTSA Safety Recall 19E080. According to Takata, NADI inflators produced during this period have the potential to experience moisture ingress due to a defect with the foil seal applied (for hermiticity purposes) at the exit orifices of the inflator housing. NADI inflators do not contain Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN) propellant. When deployed, the presence of elevated moisture in the inflator can result in slow deployment, which could lead to insufficient occupant protection provided by the air bag. In the event of propellant degradation, abnormal propellant combustion creating excessive internal pressure. High internal pressure could result in the body of the inflator rupturing, potentially injuring or killing the driver. Takata did not provide details on the affected makes, models and model years of vehicles that may have been manufactured with the defective inflators and sold in the US, however the DIR named five automobile manufacturers that the defective inflators were sold to, including AudieBay logo (VWeBay logo), BMWeBay logo, HondaeBay logo, MitsubishieBay logo and ToyotaeBay logo. Based on the dates of inflator production, it’s likely all affected vehicles would have been produced as model year 1995 through 2000 vehicles.

On November 26, 2019, BMWeBay logo filed three DIRs announcing NHTSA Safety Recalls 19V851, 19V852 and 19V853. The DIRs stated that BMWeBay logo had determined Takata produced NADI inflators manufactured before March 15, 1999 were defective due to a tape seal concern. BMWeBay logo also discussed field incidents that occurred in foreign markets as part of the company’s rationale for reaching the defect determination. One of BMWeBay logo’s recalls was intended to address vehicles originally manufactured with known defective inflators, another was to address a distinct population of vehicles manufactured with inflators believed to be at higher risk (BMWeBay logo issued a do not drive recommendation for this population), and the third was issued to address vehicles originally manufactured with inflators not deemed to be defective, but they may have subsequently had a defective inflator installed as part of a service repair procedure. The BMWeBay logo recalls involved certain model year 1999 to 2000 3-Series vehicles.

The purpose of the EQ is: 1) to obtain information from the five companies named in Takata’s DIR to establish the specific makes, models and model years that were produced with defective Takata driver inflators, 2) to ensure that, if they are not already, all vehicles manufactured with defective inflators are recalled on a timely basis, and 3) to ensure that any vehicle which could have had a defective inflator installed in conjunction with a service repair procedure is inspected to ensure it does not contain a defective inflator.


 

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