Woman Leaves Dodge Charger Parked Outside. Then Her Airbags Deploy For No Reason: ‘Never Seen This Happen Before’

Normally, you’d be happy that your airbags properly deployed. While the circumstances under which it happened likely aren’t great, at least they did their job in protecting you and are hopefully a part of the reason any accident wasn’t as fatal.

But what happens when they deploy for seemingly no reason at all? In this situation, could they have caused more harm than good?

Dodge Airbags Deploy While Parked

In a trending video, which has more than 76,000 views, content creator Tanya (@localforeignn) shared the wild thing she saw when she got back to her Dodge Charger.

“Dodge count your MFN days,” the text overlay on the video read. 

In the video, Tanya explains that her car was parked in her driveway, but it looked far from normal. 

When she opens her car door, you can see that there are specks of fabric and fluff all over the driver's side seat. Additionally, you can see that the ceiling area above the driver's side is torn up and has a metal rod hanging out, and the plastic and metal interior of the ceiling is exposed. 

“Why I open my car door to this? Are you kidding me? Like, is this my [expletive] airbag? I'm confused. I'm so [expletive] confused. Like, I'm about to throw away this whole [expletive] car; I swear to you. What the [expletive]? And my windshield cracked,” she said, clearly in disbelief.

What she thinks are her deployed airbags go all the way from the front driver's side to the back passenger seat. 

“My air bags deployed while parked in my driveway You hear my voice shaking? LMAO I'm pissed!” she said in the caption. 

She has yet to post an update on the situation.

How Do Airbags Work And What Are They For?

Airbags are designed to keep a person’s head or upper body from hitting the inside of a vehicle during a crash to help prevent injury. They are meant to work alongside seat belts, not replace them. Airbags have been proven to reduce the risk of passing in a direct front crash by about 30%, HowStuffWorks explains.

Airbag systems consist of a folded nylon bag, sensors, and an inflator. The sensors use information from an accelerometer to detect the sudden change in motion associated with a collision. If the system determines that they need to be deployed, an igniter begins a chemical reaction that rapidly produces gas and fills the bag.

The entire process happens in a fraction of a second. The NHTSA says an airbag can inflate in less than one-twentieth of a second. The gas then escapes through small holes, allowing the bag to deflate.

Airbags are generally designed to deploy in moderate-to-severe crashes, though the NHTSA notes that they may occasionally activate during a minor crash. Whether one deploys depends on several factors, including the direction and severity of the impact, the locations of the crash sensors, and the vehicle system’s design.

That does not explain why an airbag would apparently deploy while a vehicle was parked. Without an inspection or a confirmed defect, it is unclear what prompted the system to activate.

Gallery: 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye: First Drive Review

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Airbag Recalls

Airbag problems can create dangers of their own. In March 2024, Stellantis recalled nearly 285,000 2018 to 2021 model-year Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans because of an issue involving their side-curtain airbags, according to Cars.com.

The affected inflators could rupture and propel metal fragments into the cabin, putting occupants at risk of serious injury. Dealers were instructed to replace both side-curtain airbags at no charge.

'You Gotta Read Those Notices'

People in the comments section urged Tanya to try and get money out of the situation while others warned her of a recall.

“The way I woulda laid in there, put stuff on me and called Top Dawg,” a top comment read. 

“Recall on 2018 to 2021 side airbags deploying on their own. free at the dealer to replace but idk after its already deployed. Insurance claim may total it,” a person said.

“Your airbag didn’t deploy, the explosive inside that makes it inflate literally the exploded, thank god you weren’t driving when that happened that would have been your life,” another wrote.

“Child america just selling trash quality cars now,” a commenter added.

Motor1 reached out to Tanya for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Dodge via email. We’ll update this if either responds.