NHTSA Complaint #11096920 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE A 2016 FORD EXPLORER PLATINUM I HAVE IDENTICAL TWIN BOYS SO THE SAFEST PLACE FOR THEM IS IN THE MIDDLE SEAT THEIR CAR SEATS ARE FACING FORWARD NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE OVER TWO YEARS OLD THE SEAT BELT GOES UNDERNEATH THE CAR SEAT AND BUCKLES IN IT'S A BRITEX SNAPTIGHT CARSEATS THE SEATBELTS HAVE AIRBAGS ON THEM I HIGHWAY PATROL HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION BEFORE AND INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF THOSE SEAT BELTS WERE TO BE SET OFF THEY WOULD INFLATE UNDERNEATH THE CAR SEAT AND CAN HURT MY CHILDREN THERE'S NOTHING IN THE FORD HANDBOOK THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE CAR SEATS IN THIS VEHICLE BUT TWINS I HAVE TO HAVE ONE ON EACH SIDE I CAN'T PUT THEM BOTH IN THE MIDDLE IN BETWEEN THE DRIVERS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT IN THE MIDDLE ROW THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO PUT THEM AND THE HIGHWAY PATROL INFORMED ME TO CONTACT YOU BECAUSE THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND CAN HURT OR POSSIBLY KILL MY CHILDREN IF I WAS TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT AND THOSE SEATBELT AIRBAGS WERE TO GO OFF. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET NO ACCIDENTS I WAS DOING A SAFETY CHECK AT VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN FRESNO AND THEY WERE EDUCATING US ON HOW TO INSERT CAR SEATS AND WHERE TO PUT THEM IN THE CAR SO THAT THEY'RE THE SAFEST WHEN THEY CAME ACROSS THE AIRBAGS ON THE SEAT BELTS AND SAID CONTACT FORD I WENT TO FORD RIGHT AWAY I PAID $43,000 FOR MY VEHICLE AND LITHIA FORD IN FRESNO CALIFORNIA DID NOT WANT TO HELP ME THEY SAID LIABILITY THEY CAN'T TAKE THE SEAT BELT OUT AND PUT JUST REGULAR ONES IN DUE TO LIABILITY AND THE HIGHWAY PATROL SAID I CANNOT KEEP MY CHILDREN IN MY VEHICLE I NEED YOUR GUYS HELP I CAN'T AFFORD TO GO BUY ANOTHER BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND THE HIGHWAY PATROL HELPED ME LOOK THROUGH THE FORD OWNER'S MANUAL AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE CAR SEATS IN THERE I NEED YOUR HELP ON TO WHAT I CAN DO TO HAVE A VEHICLE FOR MY TWO BOYS THAT IS ABSOLUTE SAFEST