Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||||
| 16618 | 02/01/2003 | 10002499 | Illuminated air bag warning lamp with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b2292. *tt | 09/03/2003 | |
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||||
| 17640 | 03/01/2004 | 10007412 | Poor fit between driver air bag and steering wheel. *tt | 06/22/2004 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 01/18/2013 | 142056 | 1 | |
| Travel approximately 55 miles per hour southbound on sr-99 both the left and right side head curtain airbags deployed for no reason while i was driving with my 2 year old daughter and 3 month old son, both in appropriate child safety seats. the vehicle was not hit, i did not swerve, nor step on the breaks. nothing occurred in the vehicle to warrant or cause the airbags to deploy. the force of the airbags struck my head causing head and neck pain, but more importantly it could have caused an accident or even death had i swerved and it caused an accident with another vehicle or caused my vehicle to crash out of control. *tr | |||
| 01/18/2013 | 142056 | ||
| Travel approximately 55 miles per hour southbound on sr-99 both the left and right side head curtain airbags deployed for no reason while i was driving with my 2 year old daughter and 3 month old son, both in appropriate child safety seats. the vehicle was not hit, i did not swerve, nor step on the breaks. nothing occurred in the vehicle to warrant or cause the airbags to deploy. the force of the airbags struck my head causing head and neck pain, but more importantly it could have caused an accident or even death had i swerved and it caused an accident with another vehicle or caused my vehicle to crash out of control. | |||
| 10/27/2011 | |||
| I have a 2003 ford explorer. i had stopped and was waiting for a mail carrier to finish putting mail in a mailbox when i was rear-ended. the other driver hit me at high speed. i was subsequently pushed into the mail carrier's vehicle---even though he tried unsuccessfully to get out of the way. i don't believe i hit the mail carrier at high speed, but still it did cause damage to the back bumper of his vehicle and light damage to my front bumer. the truck then rear-ended me again due to his speed and inability to stop. neither air bag in the front of my vehicle deployed. my vehicle was totaled due to the damage from the rear-end hit. the only door on my vehicle that opened correctly was the front passenger door. my seat on the front is apparently broke and laying flat. the cargo area was pushed into the third seat, the third seat into the second seat, etc... i'm not sure if the airbags should have deployed or not. but, if they should have this really needs to be looked into. i believe my injuries would not have been as severe if the airbags had deployed. i have what i guess may be classic whiplash type injuries. back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain; as well as, my elbow was hurt; and both wrist from trying to grab the steering wheel to prevent myself from being thrown into the steering column or windshield during the second hit from the rear. anything you can tell me that will help with these questions? i am being asked by other people that know about the wreck why the airbags did not deply. | |||
| 02/01/2011 | 95000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the horn was defective and the airbag light illuminated on the instrument panel. a local mechanic diagnosed a defect in the steering column; the failure was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but did not assist the contact. the failure mileage was 95,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. nw | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 850000 | 1 | |
| Own a 2003 ford explorer the air bag light blinks then stays on constantly while the car is running. i am concerned about my safety whether my air bag is actually working or not. after searching the internet apparently several other ford owners are having the same problem. also i have a cracked panel on the back hatch , i have seen several ford explorers with the same crack and at the same location , took the ford dealer in clarksville indiana was told it was due to weather , was told several ford explorer owners are complaining about the same problem but unfortunately ford is aware of the problem but not doing a recall. was told would cost around $300 to replace the panel the ford dealership instructed me to file a complaint because they have seen too many themselves. *tr | |||
| 08/14/2007 | 65000 | 1 | 08/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 70 mph, the contact swerved to miss a wild hog in the road. she drove into the path of oncoming traffic, slammed on the brakes, and the vehicle rolled over three times. the air bags failed to deploy. the vehicle was towed to the shop where it currently remains. the vehicle was destroyed. a police report was filed. the vin, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 65,000. | |||
| 12/20/2003 | 2 | 12/14/2002 | |
| I purchased a new 2003 ford explorer as a gift and i noticed several days later, that the passenger side air bag compartment had started a sinking , appearance in the compartment area that holds the air bag, it was questioned and i was told it was juat settling. as the sinking worsen, months down the road, i questioned it again, and was told the same thing again. now the air bag compartment has started sinking badly and the compartment is now budging out to the point where you can put all your fingers under and in it. the bag can deploy at any time now. if this should happen all of a sudden and it will, it will cause a terrible accident, possible death if the sudden fright cause the driver to go out of control. my daughter said the air bag was beginning to frighten her and she again attempted to address the issue at the dealership service department in which the vehicle was purchased from, again she was told it was not covered under warranty, and that the cause seem to be elsewhere, yet in fact if the issue had been addressed when i first brought it to their attention,it would have been covered. i have contacted ford corporation, awaiting a resolution to this problem. this is a very serious problem that needs to be taken care of immediately before an accident or death arises from this issue.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 1 | 10/15/2002 | |
| Consumer lost control of vehicle and an accident occurred. *mr the vehicle began to shake from right to left. the consumer could not control the vehicle. the vehicle was moving on it's own. the air bags did not deploy. the consumer crashed into the border wall, spun around, and stopped on the other side. *sc *jb | |||
| 11/27/2003 | 2000 | 5 | 10/01/2003 |
| Intermittent problems of getting the 2003 ford explorer vehicle to start. after an hour or so vehicle would start up as if there was never a problem. this incident happened more than 4 times in the past. *ak | |||
| 01/16/2003 | 437 | 1 | 12/19/2002 |
| While driving and without warning a loud clinking noise can be heard. the dealer is aware of the problem. *nlm squeeling noise from motor. transmission lurched and would not engage. transmission and transfer case had to be flushed. replace steering shaft for clinking noise. clockspring replaced. | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 06/07/2011 | 130000 | ||
| I own a 2003 ford explorer xlt. i started my car up this mourning to go to work. i stepped out of the car to remove an empty cup when i heard a pop from insided my car. as i turned an looked i saw my car filled with smoke. as i went back to the car the passenger side air bag was deployed. there was no warning what so ever. if this would have happened when i was driving there is no telling what would have happened. this car is in very good shape. it has 130000 miles on it. i am afraid of this happening to the drivers side bag now as i have seen that this has happened before to this model. | |||
| 09/06/2008 | 125000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. when the contact started the ignition, the front driver's side air bag deployed unexpectedly. the air bag warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. the failure caused the driver to sustain minor injuries. the vehicle was taken to the authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the air bag deployment code was displayed during the testing, but the technician was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and sent a letter with a check for $1,000 towards the repair cost. the contact is in the process of taking the vehicle to a different authorized dealer for a second opinion. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 125,000 and current mileage was 130,000. | |||
| 03/02/2007 | 114000 | 10 | 01/28/2003 |
| Tl* - the contact called about the 2003 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated that the air bag light stayed on, and when it was on, the airbag deactivated which was a safety problem. it happened all the time. the fuses have been changed under warranty, and now that it was not under warranty, it was no longer repaired free of charge. the contact stated that she was told by one service station that it was standard for the fuses to blow because of the fuse box location. another service station told the contact that this was not true that the fuse box was to high in the car for pebbles to be able to get into the fuse box. also, the windshield wipers won't turn off by them selves, even when the keys were out of the ignition. the contact stated that the airbag light and the door ajar light were consistently on. moreover, the electronic seat would not move forward or backward. she had the seat repaired twice and it failed again. finally, contact stated that the vehicle was making a knocking noise in the front and rear of the vehicle's undercarriage. the vehicle clanked stopping, turning to go forward, or just sitting still. the first time the contact took the vehicle for repair she was told by the repair shop that it was the driver's seat that was causing the clanking noise, and the second time she was told that the noise was not something they could identify because during diagnostic testing it did not show a specific failure code. the current and failure mileage were both 114000.*ak | |||
| 01/26/2007 | 60100 | 1 | 10/31/2006 |
| 1. while stopped on the interstate waiting for traffic to move, my 2003 ford explorer xlt was rear-ended by another suv traveling at presumably highway speed. as a result, my suv was propelled forward, hitting the rear of another vehicle. 2. **drivers side airbag did not deploy.** passenger's side airbag deployed (the driver was the only passenger). **the base, and possibly the back, of the drivers seat broke.** (i was restrained in a seat belt.) i hit the roof of the vehicle, hitting my head quite hard on the rubber gasket edge of the moonroof, and when landing i think i hit my nose on the steering wheel. when i landed, the base of the seat broke...when looking at it from the side (looking at the controls), the base of the seat has a bend in it like an upside-down v, and the seat back appears to be reclined. i still have a knot and pain on the top of my head, my neck is stiff and now sometimes pops/cracks/crunches when i turn my head, my left shoulder joint is very sore, and i have some dull intermittent lower back pain. besides temporary bleeding immediately after the accident, i am unaware of any damage to my nose. 3. no repair has been done. insurance damage estimate is pending, but i expect it will be considered totaled. *jb | |||
| 11/07/2006 | 1 | ||
| On 11/07/06 was in head on collision with 4 inch steel post, air bag on 2003 ford explorer did not deploy. would like to send photos. *nm | |||
| 08/06/2005 | 41668 | 1 | 09/01/2003 |
| Dt: the contact states the driver's side and the passenger's side air bags did not deploy during an accident. the contact's daughter was driving at 55-60 mph when a dog jumped in front of the vehicle, causing it to hit the dog. the vehicle is in the body shop to be repaired. consumer has contacted the manufacturer. they told him to take the vehicle to the local dealership to be tested to determine the cause for the airbags not deploying. there was no indication that there was a malfunction with the air bags in the vehicle. the vehicle belonged to the contact's daughter. *ak | |||
| 05/09/2005 | 1 | 07/10/2003 | |
| Consumer stated the vehicle was struck on the passenger side and rolled over. there were two passengers inside of the vehicle one was seriously injured and the second had less serious injuries due to the air bags not deploying on either side. the air bag switch was on. *jb *sb *nm | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 2 | 08/11/2003 | |
| Driving on semi-clear road about 40 mph, air temperature was -7 degrees. hit black ice and went off the road and into a ditch. the explorer hit a tree stump on the front left corner of bumper and wheel. the truck did not roll over during the accident. both the driver and passenger were wearing the seat belt/shoulder belt. both frontal air bags failed to deploy. the driver sustained a fracture/compression of the l1 vertbrae (spine) due to the seat belt (seat-belt syndrome). the truck sustained heavy damage to the front, front wheel and engine area. the repair mechanic did perform a check of the air bag system during the repair of the vehicle and the system checked out as normal. no air bag system part had been replaced during the repair. *ak | |||
| 01/19/2005 | 1 | ||
| The consumer hit a telephone pole at 30 mph when he/she tried to avoid hitting another motorist. the air bags did not deploy upon impact. the manufacturer was contacted by owner. *jb | |||
| 12/27/2004 | 25000 | 1 | 11/01/2002 |
| When the consumer hit a deer at 35 mph the air bags did not deploy. the consumer continued to drive. . please provide more information. *jb after hitting the deer the air bag gases deployed and spread throughout the cabin of the vehicle. however, the air bags did not deploy. after impact, the air bag indicator light on the dashboard remained illuminated. *tt | |||
| 09/24/2004 | 30000 | 1 | 04/17/2004 |
| While driving about 50 mph, the owner was hit from the front of vehicle, into the side of another vehicle yet the air bags failed to deploy. provide further details. *nm *tc | |||
| 08/30/2004 | 1 | ||
| Wife was involved in a crash and air bags did not deploy. question: are air bags set to deploy depending on impact speed and or force?*ak | |||
| 06/07/2004 | 9322 | 2 | 07/19/2003 |
| I was recently involved in an automobile accident while driving my 2003 ford explorer. another driver pulled out from a stop sign directly in front of me while i was traveling approximately 40 mph. my explorer experienced significant damage to the front end. the entire front end of the vehicle needs to be replaced. during this accident neither of the front air bags deployed. i am just begining to make contacts to try and get an explaination as to why the air bags did not deploy. digital photos of the damaged vehicle are availble.*ak | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 1 | ||
| When driving 65 mph, another vehicle cut in front of consumer's vehicle. this caused the consumer to lose control of the vehicle and hit a guard rail head on. upon impact, both front air bags did not deploy. *ak | |||
| 11/20/2003 | 14081 | 1 | 12/28/2002 |
| I was involved in a front end collision with my 2003 ford explorer. photographic evidence clearly shows the point of impact with a large pole to the left of center towards the drivers side. the passenger side air bag deployed, the drivers side air bag failed to deploy. i sustained serious head injuries due to a concussion as a result of the air bag failing to deploy. i don't know my speed because i had fallen asleep while driving, but it was fast enough that the passenger side air bag did go off. i believe my resulting injuries and lost of work would have been significantly less had the drivers side air bag deployed as it should have. *jb | |||
| 08/07/2003 | |||
| While driving consumer was involved in a frontal crash in which neither driver nor passenger side air bags deployed. contact has been made with the dealer. *ak | |||
| 06/26/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that vehicle was in a collision. upon impact,both front air bags did not deploy. dealer notified.*ak | |||
| 07/05/2003 | |||
| While driving 50-55 mph vehicle went off the road into a ditch and hit a telephone pole. upon impact, front air bags did not deploy. *ak | |||
| 05/25/2003 | 43000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 ford explorer, on may 25, 2003 i was taking an elderly lady from a boarding home that i volunteer at, to the cemetary. i got her in the explorer, turned the key on and the driver side air bag exploded, i never even got to put the car in gear or anything. .my husband (gordon shernan) talked with ford motor company and because of the vehicle being over warranty, they weren't the least bit concerned. i would really like to know why one went off and not the other, and why it went off by just starting the vehicle. i feel this is really a safety issue,not only did it scare half the life out of both of us, but makes you worry every time you get in a car with air bags. if i had been driving on a road way, i certainly would have had an accident. i find it very lax on ford motor company part that they are not concerned at all. fortunately i walked away with just a sore chest, shoulder and stiff neck.*ak | |||
| 03/22/2003 | 1 | ||
| The vehicle was involved in a head-on collision at 35 mph. neither the front driver nor passenger air bags deployed. *nlm | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 10000 | 1 | 11/14/2002 |
| 2003 expolrer - defective computer sensor module for the airbag system for the entire vehicle. *ak | |||
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | |||
| 09/04/2004 | 17000 | 1 | 10/16/2003 |
| While driving about 25 miles per hour on a straight road in excellent condition the side curtain airbags deployed in the vehicle. there was no braking or accelerating occuring at the time of the event. this was a 2003 ford explorer. 4 occupants were present in the vehicle including 2 toddlers. *ak | |||