NHTSA Complaint #10140159 — 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

OCTOBER 18, 2005 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION NVS-210, 400 7TH STREET SW WASHINGTON, DC 20590 DEAR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: I AM WRITING BECAUSE OF A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MERCURY 2000 MOUNTAINEER. MY MOUNTAINEER, VIN #[XXX], HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A DESIGN DEFICIENCY. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHES SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN COMES ON STEADY. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AND THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD. THEY SAID THAT TESTS SHOWED THAT THE HARNESS WAS CORRODED. SINCE THE HARNESS RUNS UNDER THE CARPET ON THE FLOOR, WATER AND SALT HAD PROBABLY ENTERED THE HARNESS AND CORRODED IT. THEY SAID THAT MY AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS UNRELIABLE. I BELIEVE IT IS UNREASONABLE AND DANGEROUS TO INSTALL A CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEM COMPONENT IN A KNOWN LOCATION OF CORROSIVES AND MOISTURE, UNLESS THAT COMPONENT IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT AGAINST THOSE HAZARDS. IT APPEARS THAT THE AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS IS NOT SO DESIGNED. AS THESE VEHICLES AGE, THIS COULD BECOME MORE AND MORE OF A PROBLEM. THE REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE, I WAS QUOTED $970. THE TRADE IN VALUE OF MY VEHICLE IS ABOUT $8600. AS THESE VEHICLES AGE THEY WILL HAVE LESS AND LESS VALUE AND THE COST OF REPAIR WILL BECOME A LARGER AND LARGER PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLE VALUE. I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD QUERY FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND FIND OUT HOW PREVALENT THIS PROBLEM IS AND SEE IF THE FREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM IS INCREASING. IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED AS THESE VEHICLES AGE. PERHAPS MERCURY SHOULD ACT TO REPLACE THESE HARNESSES BEFORE THEY BECOME INOPERATIVE. [XXX] *NM UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)