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Jeep Airbag Bursts Open While Triad Woman Driving Down Road

Janet Stevens didn't hit anything or go over a big pothole, she was just driving at a normal rate of speed when both her airbags exploded.

ARCHDALE, N.C. — Janet Stevens was driving home on Highway 62 like she has done thousands of times, “It was a Tuesday,” said Stevens. Only about 10 miles from the house Stevens would find herself swerving from lane to lane. Afraid she was going to crash she was eventually able to get her Jeep stopped on the side of the road, “It scared me to death,” said Stevens

The airbags in Stevens’ Jeep bursting open, “All of a sudden, bam, the airbags just deployed, said Stevens, “There was white smoke everywhere.”  Fortunate there were no other cars around when this happened Stevens still thinks about what could have happened, “By the grace of God I got it stopped, I could have hit somebody,” said Stevens.

Here Jeep part of a national safety recall. Jeep determining the airbags could deploy without warning. Stevens received a recall notice back in March of 2015, “I called after getting the notice in June,” said Stevens. “I asked about the recall on the jeep and they told me they don’t have the part.”

Stevens said she called several times over the next few months and was always told the same thing. Jeep’s corporate office had not yet sent the parts to Ilderton Jeep in High Point.

After Stevens contacted News 2 we reached out to Jeep’s corporate office and was informed the first notice was to inform owners about the issue but that parts were in fact not available. A second notice was sent about a year later alerting customers parts were now available for the recall, “I called Ilderton and as told they still don’t have the parts,” said Stevens.

Exact records of what took place during the next 16 months are a bit unclear. Stevens says she called several times immediately after receiving the 2nd notice but a spokesperson for Jeep tells us they have no record of any calls.

Stevens can’t remember the last time she called about the parts prior to the airbags deploying, “Then (Jeep) just stopped sending recall letters, I forgot, my husband died,” said Stevens.

A spokesperson for Jeep tells News 2 it is unclear when the parts became available at the local dealership and that it’s possible as people come in to have their Jeep serviced it could run out of parts for a short time. Jeep also tells us that 90 people who received recall letters had their Jeep fixed prior to Stevens airbags deploying.

Jeep telling us in an email the situation is unfortunate but regrettably it shows no contact between Stevens and the dealership more than a year prior to the incident.

Stevens believes Jeep needs to take some responsibility for the parts not being available immediately and a lack of follow up after the second notice, “I feel they are to blame,” said Stevens.

A spokesperson for Jeep also told us even with safety emails sent to owners it is difficult to get many to come in for a recall the owner considers to be of low or moderate risk. Consumers are often doing their own "risk assessment" rather than bringing the vehicle in for the necessary repairs. 

Since the recall seven Jeep airbags have inadvertently deployed which according to Jeep makes up less than .00002 percent of the people receiving an recall notification. Jeep urges all owners to stay mindful of safety recalls and to have the necessary work done. 

As for Steven's Jeep her insurance company agreed to “total” the vehicle and pay her around $3,600. She has since bought a new SUV and it is not a Jeep.

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