NHTSA Complaint #11032600 — 1997 FORD E-350

MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AND I WENT TO START IT UP TO RUN THE ENGINE AND CHARGE THE BATTERIES AS I DID NOT PLAN TO USE IT FOR ANOTHER FEW WEEKS. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND HIT ME HARD. ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE PRETENSIONER FIRED OFF BREAKING THE HOUSING. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE INCIDENT. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ACCIDENT AND I CAN SEE NO DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE AT ALL. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY WILL NOT ASSIGN A CASE NUMBER UNTIL IT IS INSPECTED AND CHECKED BY A FORD DEALER. THE CLOSEST FORD DEALER THAT SAID THEY WERE CAPABLE OF DOING THIS IS BOOKED UP AND CAN NOT LOOK AT IT FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEY DID MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 10/25/17. THE DEALERSHIP IS ABOUT 35 MILES AND I WILL HAVE TO DRIVE IT THERE WITH THE AIRBAG HANGING OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I AM SO THANKFUL THIS HAPPENED WHILE PARKED IN STORAGE AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I THE RESULT MAY HAVE BEEN FATAL TO MY SELF AND/OR OTHERS. MY INJURIES ARE SOME BRUISING, HEADACHES, AND A SORE NECK. THE MILES I ENTERED ARE APPROXIMATE, I WILL VERIFY THE EXACT NUMBER LATER. *TT CONSUMER'S STATEMENT "MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE SENSORS CHECK GOOD WITH NO OPEN CIRCUITS. THE ONLY OPEN CIRCUITS ARE THE ITEMS THAT DEPLOYED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG AND THE PASSENGER SIDE BELT TENSIONER. UPDATED 7/25/18*JB