← New search

2018 Jeep Cherokee

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Cherokee years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee are substantially higher than the model-year median of 113.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

359 reports with mileage · 324 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 292 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 190 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 155 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports5 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

683 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2024
Power Train

My 2018 Jeep Cherokee rear differential started making an intermittent noise at about 35,000 miles. Now at 42,000 miles the dealership I purchased it new from has determined that the differential needs replacing. It is four months past the 5 year/60,000 mile power train warranty. There are no repair parts available, it is on b…

Read full complaint

My 2018 Jeep Cherokee rear differential started making an intermittent noise at about 35,000 miles. Now at 42,000 miles the dealership I purchased it new from has determined that the differential needs replacing. It is four months past the 5 year/60,000 mile power train warranty. There are no repair parts available, it is on back order with no ETA. This condition indicates to me that there may be a part recall in order for the rear differential failures, as there are no parts available in a nationwide search by my Jeep representative. Is there a history of known failures?

NHTSA ODI #11567773

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion System

Unknown…the Jeep using oil terribly, with no leaks. I have it serviced every 3000 miles, and it is always low or no oil on the dipstick at that time. I just had the oil changed, and fuel injection cleaned about a month ago…less than 700 miles since. The Jeep is cutting off while driving. It won’t start back for 2-3 minutes, and …

Read full complaint

Unknown…the Jeep using oil terribly, with no leaks. I have it serviced every 3000 miles, and it is always low or no oil on the dipstick at that time. I just had the oil changed, and fuel injection cleaned about a month ago…less than 700 miles since. The Jeep is cutting off while driving. It won’t start back for 2-3 minutes, and I’m sitting in traffic. It’s terrifying!!! When checked with OEM, it doesn’t show any codes, although an engine light is on. I’ve spoken with 3 different mechanics, that all stated this is common with this model…with no solution, no recall, and no idea what part to repair. I’ve been told throttle body, throttle body clutch, starter, etc…No one really knows where to start. And those parts are NOT cheap to replace as an experiment. I bought my Jeep new, with only 3 miles on it. This issue is new, within the last 2 weeks. The losing oil has continued since purchase, and it will cut off if the oil is low. This is different. As I stated before, the oil was just changed, and is not low. Please help!!!

NHTSA ODI #11565257

100,012 miles · Jan 12, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light intermittently flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed, and the mechanic discovered a major oil leak coming from the vehicle. Th…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light intermittently flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed, and the mechanic discovered a major oil leak coming from the vehicle. The contact was informed that the oil gasket covers, and oil coolant assembly needed to be replaced. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 100,012.

NHTSA ODI #11565044

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2024
Electrical SystemService Brakes

The trunk has leaks coming in. It happened 1 year ago and it is now happening again. Last year jeep charged me almost 4 thousand dollars to replace the computer system because of a leak coming in and shorting the wires. It took 3 months for them to fix. I now see a similar issue was recalled in a year previous model of my car.

NHTSA ODI #11564064

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

Service shifter notification comes on, all lights on shifter light up. I’ve had it “fixed” 2 times under warranty and it continues to do it. Owned since 2017 and this has happened more times than I can remember. Dealership has little answers. Eventually car will begin sputtering, all service lights come on, you lose control of …

Read full complaint

Service shifter notification comes on, all lights on shifter light up. I’ve had it “fixed” 2 times under warranty and it continues to do it. Owned since 2017 and this has happened more times than I can remember. Dealership has little answers. Eventually car will begin sputtering, all service lights come on, you lose control of brakes and steering and have to pull over. Turn off, take key out, open door. Let it sit. Turn back on and typically will drive fine until the next time. All supposedly related to service shifter.

NHTSA ODI #11563568

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 2023
Forward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

Braking system engaged while driving at ~40mph. Emergency brake also appeared to engage. Once completely stopped, vehicle brakes were locked up and vehicle had to be hauled for service.

NHTSA ODI #11560306

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2023
Service Brakes

My 2018 jeep Cherokee emergency park and brake got stuck and wouldn’t release and I had to take it back to the dealer ship I got it from . We repaired it 11/20/2023 at classic Chrysler in NC had to wait almost 2 weeks because they had to order a part in . They replaced the parking brake switch/module. And it’s about 2 weeks la…

Read full complaint

My 2018 jeep Cherokee emergency park and brake got stuck and wouldn’t release and I had to take it back to the dealer ship I got it from . We repaired it 11/20/2023 at classic Chrysler in NC had to wait almost 2 weeks because they had to order a part in . They replaced the parking brake switch/module. And it’s about 2 weeks later And the same issue is happening again .

NHTSA ODI #11559284

Mileage unknown · Nov 10, 2023
Electrical SystemStructure

In the beginning of July, the parking brake engaged on its own and a warning came up on the dash. It took some jockying to get the brake to disengage but it continued to happen. We took it to the dealer where purchased who told us that the parking brake control module was damaged by water and that bedause of this the extended …

Read full complaint

In the beginning of July, the parking brake engaged on its own and a warning came up on the dash. It took some jockying to get the brake to disengage but it continued to happen. We took it to the dealer where purchased who told us that the parking brake control module was damaged by water and that bedause of this the extended warranty that we purchased for a few thousand dollars would not cover it (even though we were told it covered everything). The dealer wanted $2000 to fix it. I took the Jeep to a qualified mechanic whom I deal with, and he replaced the the control unit. We picked up the car and a week or so later the brake came on again. We took it back to the mechanic who dug deeper and found out that the body of the car was leaking, and water had run down and into the control unit again. It is now November (going on five months!) and we still do not have the car back because he is waiting for the part to come in. I'm a pretty patient person but this is ridiculous. I'm paying for a car that I haven't had for five months and then I'm told this is a common issue with Jeeps and no warranty will cover it. I sincerely beleive this should be arecall issue by Jeep. Especially when they cannot get me a part to fix it for months! Any help you can render is much appreciated. Thanks

NHTSA ODI #11554586

Mileage unknown · Nov 10, 2023
Air BagsCrashInjury

I struck the back of a semi truck on the freeway at an estimated 35-40 miles per hour. I did not apply my brakes. Extensive damage to the entire front of my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11554464

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2023
Power Train

Failure of PTU while driving. Seems to be the same issue with the 2016-2017 that currently has a recall

NHTSA ODI #11550921

Official recalls

7

25V011000 · Power Train

Apr 29, 2025

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.

18V524000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood

Aug 9, 2018

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.

18V494000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft

Jul 26, 2018

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee all-wheel-drive vehicles. The bearing cage for the right front halfshaft assembly may not have been properly heat treated, possibly resulting in the bearing cage breaking and a potential halfshaft assembly failure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the halfshaft bearing cage breaks, the halfshaft may not be able to transmit engine power, causing a loss of drive or it can allow the vehicle to move while in the "Park" position. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front right halfshaft assemblies, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U78.

18V332000 · Electrical System:software; Electrical System:wiring; Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

May 17, 2018

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Electrical System:software

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Consequence: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Consequence: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

Electrical System:wiring

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Consequence: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

18V282000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

May 1, 2018

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine. These vehicles may have been manufactured with a fuel tube that may leak fuel into the engine compartment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tube, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U39.

17V670000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Oct 24, 2017

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the oil pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 5, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T65.

17V543000 · Equipment:other:labels; Wheels:rim

Aug 31, 2017

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment:other:labels

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.

Wheels:rim

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.