NHTSA Complaint #10726708 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE DRIVING ON PAVED HIGHWAY(CLEAR, DRY DAY) A HISSING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO ANOTHER PAVED HIGHWAY, THE HISSING NOISE INCREASED, THEN WAS FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG, PRIOR TO ANY IMPACT. THE OBSTRUCTION OF THE DEPLOYED AIRBAG CREATED A COMPROMISED OR VISIONARY IMPAIRMENT FROM MY WINDSHIELD'S FIELD OF VIEW, CAUSING ME TO HAVE IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. AFTER IMPACT OF FIRST VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED., THEN THERE WAS A SECONDARY IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IN ADDITION TO THE AIRBAG BRAKING MY NOSE, TWO PIECES OF SHRAPNEL WERE EJECTED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DEPLOYED AIRBAG, ONE HITTING ME IN THE LEFT SIDE MID CHEST/ABDOMEN, THE OTHER TO THE DISTAL PORTION OF MY LEFT FOREARM. THE PROJECTED SHRAPNEL TORE THROUGH A DOWN COAT, SWEATER AND TWO SHIRTS CAUSING INJURY AND 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO MY CHEST/ABDOMEN AND FOREARM. THE INJURIES OF THE OTHER VEHICLES INHABITANTS ARE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.