1996 Ford Windstar Air Bags & Restraints Problems

1996 FORD EXPLORER, 4X4. DRIVING IN DESERT WENT OVER A BUMP A LITTLE FAST, WHICH SET OFF MY AIRBAGS. MY RIDER IS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR BROKEN NOSE, CHEEK AND SOME KIND OF SMOKE INHALATION. MY WINDSHIELD IS BROKEN BECAUSE THE BAG HIT THE MIRROR WHICH THEN HIT THE WINDSHIELD. MY STEERING WHEEL IS DESTROYED, CRUISE CONTROL AND HORNS ARE OUT OF SERVICE. BEFORE I COULD DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN I HAD TO CUT THE AIRBAGS OUT. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR EXCEPT WHAT THE AIRBAGS DID. I WANT THIS ALL FIXED AT FORD'S EXPENSE. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR 10 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT; RECALLED TIRES, STEERING BARS AND BRAKES (ALL RECALL). *TR

DT: WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS DISCONNECTED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN COLLAR BONE AND BRUISED RIBS. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO SEE WHY THIS OCCURRED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MP BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 2MPH STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING,THEN DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN CONSUMER FACE. TS

SHOULDER RETRACTOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN THE MIDDLE BENCH SEAT. WILL NOT RETRACT ENOUGH FOR BELT TO GO AROUND CONSUMER. CAN'T PULL OUT MANUALLY. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *JG

STITCHING ON PASSENGER SEATBELT COMPLETELY DETERIORIATED AT FLOOR HOLD DOWN. *AK

SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL IN WINTER CONDITIONS, IMPACT WITH TREE, SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENED, DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, DRIVER EJECTED AND HELD OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE IN SEAT BELT. SEVERE RIB, LUNG INJURIES WITH HEART CONTUSION. IMPACT WITH TREE LEFT FRONT QUARTERPANEL, VEHICLE TOTALED. (DOT NUMBER: NOT KNOWN TIRESIZE: 15)

WAS TRAVELING 40-45MPH IN FOGGY WEATHER WHEN A DEER APPEARED IN THE ROAD. HIT DEER & BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED,CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUFFER BURNS ON THE FACE & ARMS. ALSO, FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINING ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN THE DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY25MPH VEHICLE IN FRONT STOP SUDDENLY, AND CONSUMER REAR ENDED IT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND BURSTED OPEN WHICH BURNED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CONSUMER'S FACE. *AK

AIRBAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED, CAUSING MINOR LONG TERM INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK, AND DRIVER'S SIDE IS TWISTED AND DOES NOT LOCK EITHER. HAS TO MANUALLY FEED THE BELT BACK INSIDE OF THE RETRACTOR. *AK

REAR SEAT BELT LOCKED, TRAPPING CHILD IN BELT. NO SAFETY RELEASE VISABLE, OR IN MANUAL. CONTACTED FORD, NO DATA AVAILABLE. FORD REFERED ME TO CONTACT N.H.T.S.A.

WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MPH WHEN THE CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO AVOID IMPACT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE ENTERING AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED ON THE PAASENGER'S SIDE BY ANOTHE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN CONSUMER. HIT REAR MIRROR AND SPLIT HEAD OPEN AND GOT A CONCUSSION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE SHOULDER STRAP BELT DIDN'T STOP THE CONSUMER FROM HITTING THE WINDOW AS ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING HEAD-ON INTO THE CONSUMER. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN AWAY FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE. *AK

SOMEONE RAN INTO CONSUMER HEAD-ON, AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD HIM. DRIVER/WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE INJURED. *AK

VEHICLE COLLISION OCCURRED AND THE AIR BAG HAD VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT, INJURING THE DRIVER.

CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING INTO A FOUR VEHICLE COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.*JB

SHOULDER PART 0F THE SEAT BELT WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING HEAD-ON AND COLLIDED. THE SHOULDER BELT DIDN'T HOLD THE DRIVER. 4 OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK