2011 Ford Explorer Air Bags & Restraints Problems

Pursuant to the attached pdf file this relates to component parts of the air bag system. When these connections fail or have an issue it disables all of the safety features in the vehicle related to the air bag system and will prevent airbag deployment or any operation in a crash. This has been an issue since we purchased the car used with around 35,000 miles on it. Multiple repair attempts have failed. At 61,000 mile I was told that they would have to replace the connections but since it was more than 60,000 miles the cost of that repair would be out of my pocket as they would no longer honor any warranty coverage. Ford customer service in Dearborn agreed with that assessment. The cost estimate at that time was given at a minimum of $3000.00 dollars. This issue remains unresolved to this day and time as I have tried to appeal that decision and while I have tried to find an independent repair shop that would do this work. To date no independent shop will do this as it effects a safety system. At a 100,000+ miles now I am transporting my grandchildren in this car without the benefit of an operating airbag system due to Ford's continued failures.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the air bag warning light being illuminated and the dealer diagnosed that the front passenger’s side air bag sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the part was ordered; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted regarding NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); in February 2024 and the contact was informed there were no parts available for the recall repair. In July 2024 the contact received a letter stating that parts were available, and an appointment was scheduled for October 2024. At the time of the appointment, the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair could not be performed due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Driver side window panel flew off during my drive on the interstate directly after I noticed it being loose for the first time. 3rd row seatbelts leak when it rains on both sides. Rear backup camera is opposite/flipped and goes in and out. Trunk will close on you after opening it up with the car not running. It will not sense movement when the car is off and continues to shut resulting in harm.

The airbag warning light keeps coming on after continued checks and fixes. The dealership zip tied connector c211 and the light went off for a bit then came back on, the seat belt has been replaced but the light came back on, and all other components have been checked but no matter what the fix the light stays on. This is an issue many people have and Ford should be responsible for fixing it.

2011 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER STATED THAT DURING A COLLISION THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

Airbag fault

MY AIR BAG CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON 3 YEARS, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP A D THEY DISCOVERED THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER HAD SHORTED OUT. IT WAS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY AND THE SAME LIGHT IS BACK ON FOR WHAT I IMAGINE IS THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER AGAIN! THE LIGHT STAYS ON FROM THE TIME THE CAR IS STARTED TILL IT'S TURNED OFF.

TAKATA RECALL AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. IT IS ON ALL THE TIME WILL NOT SHUT OFF

THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND STAYING ON FOR NO REASON . I FEEL THIS IS REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE AIR BAGS WONT INFLATE IF LIGHT IS ON AND I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS MATTER AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE.

AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF SEEMINGLY RANDOMLY. NO CORRELATION TO TEMPERATURE OR HUMIDITY. NO CORRELATION TO BEING IN MOTION OR STOPPED. SOMETIMES IT STAYS ON FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME (I.E. MONTHS). BASED ON RESEARCH I'VE DONE, IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THE AIRBAG INDICATOR IS LIT, THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS OFF. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. AFTER ABOUT 1 MONTH OF IT BEING ON STEADILY, I HAD IT FIXED AT THE DEALERSHIP, FRANKLIN FORD, IN FRANKLIN, MA. THEY FIXED IT THROUGH A TSB WHERE CONNECTORS WERE CLEANED AND RE-GREASED WITH DIELECTRIC GREASE. THIS FIX LASTED ABOUT 1 YEAR. AFTER THIS TIME PERIOD THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON, AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY AND RANDOMLY. AGAIN, AFTER ABOUT 1 MONTH OF STEADILY ON, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED TO BE THE SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED USING THE SAME TSB METHOD. THIS LEADS TO A LOGICAL ASSUMPTION THAT THIS FIX IS ONLY TEMPORARY AND I WILL CONTINUOUSLY NEED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I'VE READ ACCOUNTS ONLINE OF SEVERAL OTHER USERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE.

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON , POSSIBLE AIR BAG FAIL

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON RANDOMLY AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF.

DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATOR FOR AIRBAGS. I DON'T RECALL WHEN/CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH IT FIRST CAME ON.

RESTRAINTS INDICATOR LAMP WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT SETUP THIS FRIDAY WITH MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, BUT WHEN I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE, I FOUND THAT A TON OF PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. A MAJORITY WERE RESOLVED BY FIXING A CONNECTION UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER FAILED TO LOCK. THE CONTACT'S HEAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED HEAD, BACK, NECK, AND KNEE INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

RANDOMLY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL COME ON AND REMAIN ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS RESET, INDICATING THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE SRS SYSTEM. HAPPENS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, DURING THE INITIAL TESTING OF COMPONENTS. UPON SEARCHING ONLINE, THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A BIT OF PEOPLE WITH EXPLORERS BETWEEN 2011-2015 WITH THIS PROBLEM.

PURCHASED USED VEHICLE JANUARY 2017. MARCH 2017 AIRBAG LIGHT APPEARED INTERMITTENTLY AT START, WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE, OR TRAVELING AT VARIABLE SPEEDS. APRIL 2017 AIRBAG LIGHT NOW ILLUMINATES 95% OF TIME AT START AND REMAINS ON THROUGHOUT OPERATION. FORD DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED AIRBAG CODE B1212, ADVISING HIGH ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN GEAR SHIFTER REQUIRING REPLACEMENT AS WILL NOT INDICATE TO VEHICLE SAFETY MONITORING SYSTEM THAT VEHICLE IS IN PROPER GEAR AND THEREFOR PASS FAULT DETECTING SYSTEM. REPAIR/REPLACEMENT APPROXIMATELY $515.00. TSB-12-5-11 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS CODE, WAS APPLIED WITH NO RESOLVE. FAULT DISABLES CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEM, IS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IS OWNER'S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. THERE IS AN ENORMOUS CONSUMER REPORTING TREND FOR THIS DEFECT IN MAKE/MODEL. RECOMMEND RECALL INVESTIGATION AS COMMON TREND THAT DISABLES CRITICAL VEHICLE SAFETY FEATURE IDENTIFIED BY MANUFACTURER IN TSB-12-5-11. INTERNET RESEARCH ON THIS MATTER SUBSTANTIATES MULTIPLE AND REPEATED OWNER/MANUFACTURER HISTORICAL DATA SUPPORTING CLAIM.

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES OFF & ON WHEN DRIVING. WHEN LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAG WILL NOT OPERATE IN A CRASH.

DIAGNOSE AND ADVISED THAT DRIVER PRETENSIONER IS FAULTY. I HAVE TO PAY $400 PLUS TO HAVE THIS REPLACEMENT. MY AIR BAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON WITH FAULTY PRETENSIONER IT MAY NOT GO OFF IN AN ACCIDENT.

2011 FORD EXPLORER XLT: THIRD ROW SEAT BELT COMPARTMENT ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES, LEAKING WATER. SEATS ARE LEATHER. NOTICED WHEN CHILD BOOSTER SEATS WERE SOAKED AFTER IT RAINED. NOW CONCERNED IF METAL HAS RUSTED IN ANY OF SEAT BELT MECHANISMS. VEHICLE PURCHASED FROM FORD DEALER, FORD VERIFIED USED VEHICLE. PURCHASED VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. ISSUE OCCURRED AT 105,000 MILES