NHTSA Complaint #10311337 — 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

TRAVELING SOUTH ON I-26 ACROSS THE TN/NC BORDER THROUGH SAM'S GAP ON A SNOWY DAY LED ME TO DRIVE VERY SLOW AND COME TO A STOP AT THE TRUCK INFORMATION AREA AT THE TOP OF THE HILL. WHEN I SAW A LARGE TRANSFER TRUCK PULL OUT ONTO THE ROAD AND PROCEED DOWN THE HILL I FELT IT WAS SAFE TO FOLLOW. THIS TRUCK WAS MOVING A LOT FASTER THAN I WAS AND I WAS "COVERING THE BRAKE" AND TAPPING IT OCCASIONALLY DOWN THE STEEP INCLINE, BUT THERE WAS ICE ON THE ROAD AND WHEN I TAPPED THE BRAKES THE CAR BEGAN TO SPIN AND HIT THE CONCRETE MEDIAN ON ALL 4 CORNERS OF THE VEHICLE WITH PRETTY STRONG FORCE. THE SEAT BELT CORRECTLY LOCKED DOWN ON THE DRIVER SIDE, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND I COULD SMELL LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I ASSUMED THIS WAS THE COMPOUND USED IN THE AIR BAG. WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED, I WAS GIVEN A CITATION FOR DRIVING TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS AND ANOTHER BECAUSE THE INSURANCE RECENTLY LAPSED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOOK THE CAR TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL (DRIVING TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS BY THE WAY) AND DECLARED THE CAR DRIVABLE SINCE THERE WERE NO FLUIDS LEAKING AND THE CAR WOULD STILL CRANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM HAD TO BE RESET, BECAUSE IT CORRECTLY SHUT OFF DUE TO THE IMPACT. THE SEATBELT WAS LOCKED DOWN COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. SINCE THERE WAS NO SNOW BEYOND THE SAM'S GAP AREA, I DECIDED TO DRIVE HOME AND PARK THE CAR BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE MONEY FOR A HOTEL OR FOR ADDITIONAL TOWING AND THE PERSON AT THE NC WELCOME CENTER SAID WE WERE EXPERIENCING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. SO RATHER THAN FREEZE TO DEATH OR ASK SOMEONE ELSE TO PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGER TO COME GET ME I DROVE HIM WITH THE AIRBAG / SEATBELT LIGHTS ALARMING. THE BODY SHOP PERSON I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT I NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE RESTRAINT/AIRBAG SYSTEM BEFORE THEY CAN WORK ON IT BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF THE SYSTEM DEPLOYING WITHOUT WARNING. *TR