NHTSA Complaint #10371715 — 2004 FORD ESCAPE

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 10 MILES MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. ON THE WAY BACK, IT AGAIN CAME ON AFTER ABOUT 10 MILES - IT FLASHED A FEW TIMES AND THEN STAYED ON. THE FORD DEALER TESTED THE CAR AND SAID THE WARNING LIGHT WAS CAUSED BY BOTH FRONT PRETENSIONER CONNECTORS COSTING $397.99. I LOOKED UP PRETENSIONER ON THE INTERNET AND SAW MANY COMPLAINTS SPECIFIC TO 2004 FORD ESCAPES. THERE WERE ALSO SOLUTIONS SUCH AS DISCONNECTING THE LIGHT, IGNORING THE LIGHT, AND RIGGING THE WIRES UNDER THE SEAT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD DEFECT THAT MAY LEAD TO LACK OF SAFETY AND HIGHWAY DEATH. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT CONSUMERS MAY IGNORE.