Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment

TedG · 09-03-2010, 11:51 AM

For Sport Trac Owners:

On my 2005 Sport Trac the side curtain air bags deployed while driving approximately 35mph. The feeling is almost the same as being in a collision....in fact my passenger and I both thought the truck had been hit by something. However there was no collision and no damage to the vehicle other than that caused by the air bag deployment.

The vehicle was taken to a local Ford dealership. The air bag system computer had sensed a collision. The dealer spent several days troubleshooting and could not determine the cause. They coordinated with Ford technical services and concluded changing most of the sensors/electronics would be required. The cost of this repair would be approximately $4600.# This damage is not covered by insurance either. If there was a collision they will cover it, comprehensive coverage does not cover this.

Ford Customer Relations was contacted and they will not accept any liability for this safety defect. If the air bags inadvertently deploy, causing a collision, damage to the vehicle, and injuries/death to occupants, the inadvertent deployment will most likely never be noted. On scene police would logically assume the air bags operated as they should have and deployed due to the collision.

In my case there was no collision and no damage. Ford Customer Relations showed little interest in the safety issue involved here. They suggested a pothole could have been the cause, or my base plate (installed for towing the Sport Trac) was a modification the the vehicle that also could be a cause. However since a definite cause cannot be found they refuse to accept any liability.

Inadvertent air bag deployment should not occur. There are Failure Modes and Effects Analysis that are done to design around this type of# failure. If critical/safety failures occur once a system is installed in many vehicles there should be a process to initiate an engineering investigation to identify the cause of the failure and provide a fix (via recall). The lack of concern by Ford is frustrating, they know there have been failures of this kind on many vehicles, Ford, Honda, etc.

A Incident report has been filed with NHTSA.

**ncranchero** · 09-03-2010, 12:07 PM

Holy crap what a surprise that would be!! Was it just the side curtains? My understanding was that when the SRS was triggered ALL bags blew. Having just the side curtains blow would indicated a RCM malfunction.
Reporting it to NHTSA is a good first move.

TedG · 09-04-2010, 07:00 AM

Yes, just the side curtains.

**ncranchero** · 09-04-2010, 07:01 AM

Looks like your complaint is listed also, or an exact duplication.

http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/Fo...omplaints.aspx

http://mysporttrac.com/shared/msgboa...5&REPLYCOUNT=2

TedG · 09-08-2010, 01:31 PM

Some additional info: The pretensioners did fire. The dealer also said a side collision was detected. The brake/signal wiring is wired with blocking diodes and has been operating OK for 4 years. The weather was clear, about 80 degrees, dry straight road. The vehicle only had the driver and one passenger. The dealer was great to work with, but the fix was to change all the components so there would be little chance of another inadvertent deployment.

I was not comfortable with this so I traded the 2005 for a 2007 Sport Trac.

Ford Customer Relations just fished around for anything they could blame the deployment on....except the air bag system. They really didn't seem concerned with the safety issue and their "We're sorry" seemed to be the same thing they read off their checklist to all unhappy customers.

**ncranchero** · 09-10-2010, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TedG

Some additional info: The brake/signal wiring is wired with blocking diodes and has been operating OK for 4 years.

Explain that???????

You must have taken a beating if you traded it with the SRS in that shape!

Hawkrod · 09-10-2010, 02:18 PM

I have to say that is a horrible thing to have happen but I can also say that I would have expected no different response from Ford. I used to be a Ford tech and the minute you change anything you have the potential of causing problems. If Ford paid on them they would be bankrupt. It is very possible that the mods you made did not cause the issue but if you saw some of the stuff I saw you would understand why liability is denied in any case of consumer modification. I have seen power taps that should have (and often did) kill every onboard system, frame failure caused by hitches improperly installed, and don't ask me about trans and suspension failures. It costs more than you can imagine to even check something like this out if any wiring has been messed (you can get stupid stuff like RF feedback through badly soldered connections!) with so it would be stupid for Ford to even consider looking into it. Like I said, I feel bad for you and hate the situation but I would not expect anything different from any manufacturer. When I buy, I always make sure I oreder anything I might want because these days any kind of mod can end up biting you in the butt down the road. The sad truth is you are paying the price because so many people are lawsuit happy and after they screwed something up they wanted Mr. Deep Pockets to pay for it. JMO Hawkrod

TedG · 09-10-2010, 06:55 PM

The mods, baseplate for towing, light kits with blocking diodes, auxiliary braking systems, etc are engineered by reputable companies. Ford approves four wheel down towing of the Sport Trac and these type items are required. Ford sells and installs the Neutral Tow switch which also is required for towing. They know the above items are required so jumping to conclusions that these type mods negate any responsibility by them is difficult to understand. This fault can result in a collision, and the assumption by first responders would be that the air bags operated as they should have. Convenient for Ford since most occurrences will or have not been reported

The dealer could not find any external faults with any of these items. I guess I don't understand why the SRS is the last thing Ford thinks may have a problem. The dealer has no capability to fault isolate SRS components so if there is a fault that causes inadvertent deployment it will never be found if the manufacturer ignore the possibility it may be the SRS system They or the manufacturer of the SRS could have these items sent to them and open an engineering investigation. That does cost money and may tarnish their reputation but maybe it would prevent injuries or a death to one of their customers.

TedG · 09-10-2010, 07:02 PM

I traded the truck for NADA good condition trade in value less half the estimate for repairs. I was reluctant to get another Sport Trac but it's a great vehicle for my needs. In addition, I did a lot of investigation on inadvertent air bag deployment and it's not only Ford that has a problem.

MTH · 04-25-2011, 06:02 PM

I hope your new 07 sort trac is better then mine. Recently, my sport trac air bag light has been coming on and staying on. Sometimes, it will work correctly (when I start the engine it will come on for a few seconds then go our). I paid my local ford dealer ~ $475 to replace the module. Then when I took it back they said the a new code shows a sensor under the drivers seat is bad. Now they want another $500.
Does anybody have any suggestions??

09-03-2010, 11:51 AM	#1
TedG Wannabe Elite Explorer Toms River, NJ 2007 sport trac limited Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment For Sport Trac Owners: On my 2005 Sport Trac the side curtain air bags deployed while driving approximately 35mph. The feeling is almost the same as being in a collision....in fact my passenger and I both thought the truck had been hit by something. However there was no collision and no damage to the vehicle other than that caused by the air bag deployment. The vehicle was taken to a local Ford dealership. The air bag system computer had sensed a collision. The dealer spent several days troubleshooting and could not determine the cause. They coordinated with Ford technical services and concluded changing most of the sensors/electronics would be required. The cost of this repair would be approximately $4600.# This damage is not covered by insurance either. If there was a collision they will cover it, comprehensive coverage does not cover this. Ford Customer Relations was contacted and they will not accept any liability for this safety defect. If the air bags inadvertently deploy, causing a collision, damage to the vehicle, and injuries/death to occupants, the inadvertent deployment will most likely never be noted. On scene police would logically assume the air bags operated as they should have and deployed due to the collision. In my case there was no collision and no damage. Ford Customer Relations showed little interest in the safety issue involved here. They suggested a pothole could have been the cause, or my base plate (installed for towing the Sport Trac) was a modification the the vehicle that also could be a cause. However since a definite cause cannot be found they refuse to accept any liability. Inadvertent air bag deployment should not occur. There are Failure Modes and Effects Analysis that are done to design around this type of# failure. If critical/safety failures occur once a system is installed in many vehicles there should be a process to initiate an engineering investigation to identify the cause of the failure and provide a fix (via recall). The lack of concern by Ford is frustrating, they know there have been failures of this kind on many vehicles, Ford, Honda, etc. A Incident report has been filed with NHTSA.

09-03-2010, 12:07 PM	#2
ncranchero Sport Trac Moderator Denver,NC Truckin' on Pat & Charlie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 3,563 Vehicle Specs	Holy crap what a surprise that would be!! Was it just the side curtains? My understanding was that when the SRS was triggered ALL bags blew. Having just the side curtains blow would indicated a RCM malfunction. Reporting it to NHTSA is a good first move. __________________ Steve, 2010 Transit CONNECT 145K miles, 2002 Sport Trac 4x4 SOLD 2000 Taurus SES 3.0L 24 Valve DOHC Duratec 87K miles 1994 F150 4x4 4.9L/5-speed 160K miles, 1995 Ranger 2.3L/5-sp/3.73 75K miles "Plain Jane" How to post photos

09-04-2010, 07:01 AM	#4
ncranchero Sport Trac Moderator Denver,NC Truckin' on Pat & Charlie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 3,563 Vehicle Specs	Looks like your complaint is listed also, or an exact duplication. http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/Fo...omplaints.aspx http://mysporttrac.com/shared/msgboa...5&REPLYCOUNT=2 __________________ Steve, 2010 Transit CONNECT 145K miles, 2002 Sport Trac 4x4 SOLD 2000 Taurus SES 3.0L 24 Valve DOHC Duratec 87K miles 1994 F150 4x4 4.9L/5-speed 160K miles, 1995 Ranger 2.3L/5-sp/3.73 75K miles "Plain Jane" How to post photos

09-04-2010, 07:00 AM	#3
TedG Wannabe Elite Explorer Toms River, NJ 2007 sport trac limited Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Yes, just the side curtains.

09-08-2010, 01:31 PM	#5
TedG Wannabe Elite Explorer Toms River, NJ 2007 sport trac limited Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Some additional info: The pretensioners did fire. The dealer also said a side collision was detected. The brake/signal wiring is wired with blocking diodes and has been operating OK for 4 years. The weather was clear, about 80 degrees, dry straight road. The vehicle only had the driver and one passenger. The dealer was great to work with, but the fix was to change all the components so there would be little chance of another inadvertent deployment. I was not comfortable with this so I traded the 2005 for a 2007 Sport Trac. Ford Customer Relations just fished around for anything they could blame the deployment on....except the air bag system. They really didn't seem concerned with the safety issue and their "We're sorry" seemed to be the same thing they read off their checklist to all unhappy customers.

09-10-2010, 02:18 PM	#7
Hawkrod Wannabe Elite Explorer Apple Valley, Ca 2002 Explorer Sport Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 11 Vehicle Specs	I have to say that is a horrible thing to have happen but I can also say that I would have expected no different response from Ford. I used to be a Ford tech and the minute you change anything you have the potential of causing problems. If Ford paid on them they would be bankrupt. It is very possible that the mods you made did not cause the issue but if you saw some of the stuff I saw you would understand why liability is denied in any case of consumer modification. I have seen power taps that should have (and often did) kill every onboard system, frame failure caused by hitches improperly installed, and don't ask me about trans and suspension failures. It costs more than you can imagine to even check something like this out if any wiring has been messed (you can get stupid stuff like RF feedback through badly soldered connections!) with so it would be stupid for Ford to even consider looking into it. Like I said, I feel bad for you and hate the situation but I would not expect anything different from any manufacturer. When I buy, I always make sure I oreder anything I might want because these days any kind of mod can end up biting you in the butt down the road. The sad truth is you are paying the price because so many people are lawsuit happy and after they screwed something up they wanted Mr. Deep Pockets to pay for it. JMO Hawkrod

09-10-2010, 06:55 PM	#8
TedG Wannabe Elite Explorer Toms River, NJ 2007 sport trac limited Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	The mods, baseplate for towing, light kits with blocking diodes, auxiliary braking systems, etc are engineered by reputable companies. Ford approves four wheel down towing of the Sport Trac and these type items are required. Ford sells and installs the Neutral Tow switch which also is required for towing. They know the above items are required so jumping to conclusions that these type mods negate any responsibility by them is difficult to understand. This fault can result in a collision, and the assumption by first responders would be that the air bags operated as they should have. Convenient for Ford since most occurrences will or have not been reported The dealer could not find any external faults with any of these items. I guess I don't understand why the SRS is the last thing Ford thinks may have a problem. The dealer has no capability to fault isolate SRS components so if there is a fault that causes inadvertent deployment it will never be found if the manufacturer ignore the possibility it may be the SRS system They or the manufacturer of the SRS could have these items sent to them and open an engineering investigation. That does cost money and may tarnish their reputation but maybe it would prevent injuries or a death to one of their customers.

09-10-2010, 07:02 PM	#9
TedG Wannabe Elite Explorer Toms River, NJ 2007 sport trac limited Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	I traded the truck for NADA good condition trade in value less half the estimate for repairs. I was reluctant to get another Sport Trac but it's a great vehicle for my needs. In addition, I did a lot of investigation on inadvertent air bag deployment and it's not only Ford that has a problem.

04-25-2011, 06:02 PM	#10
MTH Wannabe Elite Explorer U'town, PA Sport Trac '07 Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 9 Vehicle Specs	I hope your new 07 sort trac is better then mine. Recently, my sport trac air bag light has been coming on and staying on. Sometimes, it will work correctly (when I start the engine it will come on for a few seconds then go our). I paid my local ford dealer ~ $475 to replace the module. Then when I took it back they said the a new code shows a sensor under the drivers seat is bad. Now they want another $500. Does anybody have any suggestions??