2003 Mercury Sable Air Bags & Restraints Problems

NO ACCIDENT, BUT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS STARTED "LATCHING" ONLY ON SPORADIC OCCASIONS. IT DOESN'T LATCH MORE TIMES THAN IT DOES LATCH. THE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LATCHED THE SEATBELT, IT WILL COME UNLATCH END WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING. THIS HAS NOW BEEN OCCURRING FOR ABOUT A MONTH.

2003 MERCURY SABLE WAGON -- THE SEAT BELTS IN THE MIDDLE SEAT OF THE CAR NO LONGER RETRACT. THEY HANG LOOSELY AND WOULD CERTAINLY BE A GRAVE DANGER TO ANY PASSENGER SHOULD THE CAR EXPERIENCE A CRASH OR ROLLOVER. THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BY THE DEALER ALREADY, BUT NOW THE DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE RETRACTION MECHANISM. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON AND VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM IN MERCURY SABLES AND TAURUS WAGONS FROM WHAT I'VE READ. HEY FORD, HOPE YOU GIVE A [XXX] ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS AND CUSTOMERS ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, WHICH FORCED THE CONTACT TO STRIKE THE STEERING WHEEL DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, BACK, AND NECK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND THEN TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY ON FRONT IMPACT CAR CRASH. THE CAR IS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DID DEPLOY (THOUGH THERE WAS NO PASSENGER). THE HIGHWAY PATROL CUT OPEN THE STEERING WHEEL COVER TO REVEAL THAT THERE WAS INDEED A DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WITH THE NUMBER TGP037SPAEIT P5206000-00EE09. THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE IS [XXX] MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND IS UNSURE OF THE SPEED OF THE CAR WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT THE WALL. I'M GUESSING IT WAS IN THE 35-45 MPH RANGE. HER INJURIES WERE MINOR - THANKS TO THE SEAT BELT - I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY TO OFFER HER FURTHER PROTECTION AS EXPECTED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON JUNE 11, MY MOTHER WAS INVOLVED IN A FENDER BENDER IN TRAFFIC. WHEN SHE PULLED OUT OF TRAFFIC INTO A SHOPPING PLAZA SHE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF BRAKING. HER 2003 MERCURY SABLE WAGON SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED FIRST INTO A HUGE CEMENT LAMPOST, THEN PROCEEDED TO RUN OVER TWO SHRUBS AND A TREE WHERE THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT, EVEN THOUGH THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS TOTALLY DEMOLISHED. ALTHOUGH MY MOTHER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, THE LACK OF THE AIR BAG GOING OFF RESULTED IN MY MOTHER SNAPPING FORWARD RESULTING IN A SPINAL CORD INJURY TO THE NECK AND PARALYSIS FROM THE CHEST DOWN- A C6 INJURY. SINCE THE CAR WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. THERE MUST BE SOME DEFECT WITH THAT MODEL AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE ELSE SUFFERS AND ENDS UP PARALYZED. THE AUTO BODY SHOP STATED THAT THEY'D SEEN OTHER FORD CARS IN TOTAL COLLISIONS THAT ALSO DIDN'T HAVE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG GO OFF. HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THE SENSORS. EITHER WAY, THE PRODUCT ISN'T WORKING. *JB

CONTACT STATES: WHILE DRIVING WITH PASSENGERS, CHILD SAFETY SEAT WITH PASSENGER IN TOW PULLED THE SEATBELT ACROSS HERSELF. THIS BECAME ENTANGLED AROUND THE PASSENGERS NECK CAUSING GREAT DISCOMFORT. CONCERNED OCCUPENTS TRY TO FREE AND DISENGAGE SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT WITH EVERY EFFORT THE SEAT BELT BECOMES TIGHTER AND SLACK IS DISAPPEARING CHOKING THE CHILD. FORTUNATELY THE CHILD WAS FREED WITH THE HELP OF A POCKET KNIFE, CHILD HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE RESTRAINT. CHILD SUBSTAINED DEEP TISSUE BRUISING AS DIAGNOSED BY DOCTOR. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SEAT BELT.

2003 MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A STONE LINED DITCH. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT.*MR..... ON APRIL1, 2005 WHILE DRIVING WITHIN THE SPEED LIMIT VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A ROCK LINED DITCH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO INFLATE. DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST PAINS AND NUMEROUS BURNS. DRIVER WAS IN PAIN FOR ABOUT 4 WEEKS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *SC THE VEHICLE WAS SENT 10-15 FEET INTO A DITCH. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BROKEN OFF ALL OF IT'S MOUNTINGS AND SHIFTED 3 INCHES. *SC *JB

MY WIFE SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE ENCROACHING INTO HER LANE. SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER 2003 MERCURY SABLE AND SLAMMED HEAD-ON INTO THE CONCRETE CENTER DIVIDER OF THE WESTBOUND 60 FWY DIAMONDBAR CA. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE DRIVERS SIDE BAG DID NOT. SHE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION, A FRACTURED MANDIBLE, AND A MOLAR TOOTH WAS BROKEN FROM THE JAW BONE WHICH THE MAXILLO-FACIAL SURGEON WAS UNABLE TO SAVE. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *MR

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS NOT WORKED FOR AT LEAST 18 MONTHS- PART ON ORDER FOR AT LEAST THIS TIME. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 TO 60 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK