NHTSA Complaint #10758652 — 2006 FORD F-150

IN JUNE 2015, THE AIR BAG LIGHT IN MY FORD F150 ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A PROBLEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE DEPLOYABLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE PRETENSIONER, HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND POSSIBLY WOULD FAIL TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM IS CONNECTED TO MY AIR BAGS, WHICH MIGHT FAIL TO WORK IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY. AFTER PAYING THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE, I WAS GIVEN A REPAIR ESTIMATE OF AN ADDITIONAL $392.21. NOT WANTING TO RISK INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, I HAD THE PRETENSIONER REPLACED. THE BUCKLE PRETENSIONER IS A CRITICAL SAFETY DEVICE THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL UNDER NORMAL USE. MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME PRETENSIONERS HAVE FAILED DUE TO SIMPLE SEAT POSITION ADJUSTMENTS, WHICH, TO ME, IS EVIDENCE OF A POOR DESIGN. FORD HAS RECENTLY RECALLED MANY 2013 ' 2014 VEHICLES FOR POORLY MADE PRETENSIONERS, RECOGNIZING THE SAFETY ISSUE SURROUNDING THEM. I REQUESTED THAT FORD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF THE PRETENSIONER BUCKLE; HOWEVER, FORD DENIED THIS REQUEST. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL PRETENSIONER AND ALL RECEIPTS AVAILABLE.