NHTSA Complaint #11024059 — 2004 FORD ESCAPE

MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE JUST REACHED 120,000 MILES AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON NIGHT. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO DEALER TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, THEY SAID IT WAS SEAT BELT PROBLEM AND IT WOULD COST $400-$500 TO FIX IT. SO I DECIDED TO GET A SECOND OPINION & I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT DOES ALL MY REPAIRS TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD SAY. HE PUT IT ON COMPUTER TO SEE WHAT SHOWED UP AND IT SAYS SIDE AIRBAG OPEN CIRCUIT. I CALLED DEALER TO SEE WHY THEY SAID IT WAS SEAT BELT ISSUE AND DEALER SAID THEY GET A LOT OF OLDER ESCAPES IN WITH AIRBAG LIGHTS AND ITS USUALLY JUST SEAT BELT ISSUE. I PERSONALLY DON'T TRUST THE DEALER NEAR ME BUT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE 1 HR AWAY TO ANOTHER DEALER. MY MECHANIC IS DOING RESEARCH FOR ME. I TRUST HIM BEFORE THE DEALER. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS ISSUES THE AIRBAGS IN THE 2004 FORD ESCAPE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION SO A RECALL CAN TAKE AFFECT. HOPEFULLY NO ONE GETS IN AN ACCIDENT AND GETS HURT OR KILLED BC OF THIS ISSUE.