NHTSA Complaint #10839578 — 2012 FORD MUSTANG

TAKATA RECALL - IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2015 I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 FORD MUSTANG WHEN I EXPERIENCED A MINOR FENDER BENDER, LESS THAT 10 MPH. SURPRISINGLY, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING MY PASSENGER, A YOUNG BOY WITH A STOMACH BAG AND OTHER ILLNESSES TO HAVE TO GET CHECKED IN THE HOSPITAL. THANK GOD HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT HE WAS VERY SHAKEN UP FOR MANY DAYS BECAUSE OF HIS AUTISM. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BODYART COLLISION CENTER ((908-789-0330) TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS, WHICH THEY HAVE DONE. HOWEVER, THREE MONTHS LATER MY CAR IS STILL SITTING THERE BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ABLE TO INSTALL THE PROPER AIRBAGS, FORD HAS NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO GET APPROVAL FOR A NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT DASHBOARD. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE CALLED TO FIND AFTER MARKET DASHBOARD BUT NO ONE HAS THEM. FORD HAS ALSO STOPPED MANUFACTURING THEM, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAG RECALL. MY MECHANIC, MYSELF, MY MOTHER AND ANYONE ELSE I CAN FIND HAS CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE (HEATHER 866-631-3788, EXT. 7-7790, CASE NO. CAS8338404) AND THEIR RESPONSE IS "WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO GIVE YOU." NOW THEY NO LONGER RETURN CALLS. WE EVEN SENT AN EMAIL TO THE CEO BUT HAVE NOT EVEN RECEIVED AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE NO CAR, CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ONE, AND AM LIVING WITH MY MOTHER SO THAT I CAN USE HER CAR FOR ERRANDS, EVEN THOUGH I NOW HAVE TO TRAVEL 40 MINUTES TO GET TO WORK. I PAY $1500+ MONTHLY RENT AND I CANT EVEN LIVE IN MY APARTMENT. THE FRUSTRATION IS OVERWHELMING. I ASK FOR ANY RELIEF FROM FORD -- HELP WITH RENTING A CAR, A REPLACEMENT CAR UNTIL THEY THE GOVERNMENT (I ASSUME NHTCA) APPROVES THE NEW DASHBOARD, EVEN A RESPONSE THAT HAS A LITTLE MORE MEAT THAN THE STANDARD RHETORIC FROM THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE.