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Mitsubishi recalls Mirage in snowy states for airbag delay

Sun, Dec 20 2015 The Basics: Mitsubishi is recalling 25,185 examples of the 2014-2015 Mirage, built between August 7, 2013, and September 2, 2015, sold or ever registered in states that use salt to melt ice on the road during the winter months. Those include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

The Problem: Snow with road salt tracked in on boots could cause a wiring connector to short out behind a kick panel next to the driver's footrest, potentially delaying the deployment of the front airbags.

Injuries/Deaths: None reported.

The fix: Mitsubishi dealers are being instructed to inspect the electrical connectors, replace any corroded ones, and fit a waterproof sheet to prevent any further corrosion. No timeframe has been set as of yet.

If you own one: Try not to track in too much snow. Watch out for the SRS warning light on the dashboard, which will alert you if there's a problem with the airbags. Expect to hear from Mitsubishi Motors North America in due course to arrange for your vehicle to be checked out at a local dealer.

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RECALL Subject : Air Bag Deployment may be Delayed due to Corrosion

Report Receipt Date: DEC 04, 2015

NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V815000

Component(s): AIR BAGS , ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

All Products Associated with this Recall

Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

SUMMARY:
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Mitsubishi Mirage vehicles manufactured August 7, 2013, to September 2, 2015 and originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and District of Columbia. If the driver enters an affected vehicle with their boots covered with snow mixed with road salt, the melting snow may soak through the carpet and cause corrosion to a wiring connector located in a junction box behind a kick panel to the left of the driver's footrest.

CONSEQUENCE:
In the event of a crash, corrosion of the connector could delay deployment of the frontal air bags, increasing the risk of injury to the driver and the front seat passenger.

REMEDY:
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected connectors, replacing any found to be corroded. A waterproof sheet will be installed over the connectors to prevent future corrosion. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-001.

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.

By Noah Joseph


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