NHTSA Complaint #11114065 — 2018 FORD F-150

JUNE 21, 2018 WE WERE DRIVING DOWN HWY 1 BYPASS IN FORREST CITY, AR AND WERE HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, PASSENGER DOOR AND GAS TANK AREA. THE TRUCK TOOK THE IMPACT WELL AND WE SPUN 180 DEGREES TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT WERE UNHARMED, INCLUDING THE ONE WHOSE DOOR TOOK MOST OF THE IMPACT. MY HIP WAS INJURED FROM THE AIR BAG THAT DEPLOYED FROM THE BACK OF MY SEAT. AS I WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT CALLING 911, THE SEAT BEGAN SMOKING. I TRIED TO EXIT OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND IT WAS JAMMED. SMOKE CONTINUED TO GET THICKER AND SMELLED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL/PLASTIC BURNING SMELL. I THEN HAD TO CRAWL OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE AND EXIT THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. AT THAT POINT, THICK BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM MY SEAT AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAB BEGAN TO BURN. THE ACTUAL IMPACT DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE TOTALED IT OUT, BUT THE FIRE, SMOKE, AND WATER DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE BEING PUT OUT, DID. I HAVE ALSO FILED A CASE WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY, AS I BELIEVE THIS WAS A MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, MY ENTIRE FAMILY WOULD HAVE DIED FROM THIS FIRE, NOT THE IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT. FROM OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, WRECKER SERVICE, AND MY HUSBAND WHO IS A MECHANIC, THEY BELIEVE THAT THE FIRE WAS IGNITED WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I DID HAVE HEATED SEATS, AND THE VEHICLE WAS CLEARLY ON WHEN I WAS HIT AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.