NHTSA Complaint #10510341 — 1999 JEEP WRANGLER

I WAS DRIVING AN OLD WASHED OUT AND BUMPY MOUNTAIN ROAD. DUE TO THE BUMPS, I COULD NOT GO MUCH FASTER THAN 15MPH. THE ROAD/GROUND WAS WET AND SLIPPERY SO I WAS IN 4HI. AFTER GOING DOWN THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND GOING AROUND A TURN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, TO GO AROUND A LARGE DOWNED TREE, IT MOMENTARILY SHUT OFF, THEN RETURNED TO ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE JEEP OFF AND CHECKED THE AIRBAG FUSES. BOTH ARE GOOD. PUZZLED AND RATHER NERVOUS THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT GO OFF IN MY FACE, I TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROAD. AFTER NERVOUSLY DRIVING A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, I RETURNED THE JEEP TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE MY CRUISE CONTROL BUT, THE LIGHT WOULDN'T TURN ON. I TRIED ALL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS TO NO AVAIL. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE FUSEBOX AGAIN FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL FUSE BUT, I COULDN'T FIND ONE ANYWHERE. AFTER DRIVING ANOTHER 100 MILES HOME, I LET MY SISTER'S FIANCE, WHO'S A MECHANIC, CHECK IT WITH HIS SCAN TOOL. ACCORDING TO HIS SCAN TOOL, THE CLOCKSPRING HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER DOING A FEW GOOGLE SEARCHES, IT'S APPARENT THAT THE COST TO HAVE THIS FIXED IS VERY HIGH. THE PART ITSELF IS OVER $200 AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC! LABOR IS GOING TO BE AT LEAST ANOTHER $200 BASED ON HOW MUCH TIME IT WILL TAKE AND THE FACT THAT IT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE TO BE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A LIFETIME PART? WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED IF IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE? ANY RESPONSE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED AS I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS FIXED AND I'M RATHER NERVOUS TO DRIVE IT NOW. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THE AIRBAG GOING OFF?[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR