NHTSA Complaint #11176553 — 2016 FORD F-350

REFERENCED FORD HAD THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOY WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A HEATED GARAGE OVERNIGHT. THERE WAS NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. WE DO NOT HAVE A TIME FRAME FOR HOW LONG IT WAS PARKED BEFORE DEPLOYMENT. AFTER THIS DEPLOYMENT FOUND THAT THE TRUCK NO LONGER HAD POWER TO START THE VEHICLE OR ANY DASHBOARD INDICATORS/GAUGES WORKING. THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON/OFF RANDOMLY TILL BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DEAD WHILE PARKED AND SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 6 MONTHS TO REPAIR. I DECIDED TO SEE IF I WAS ABLE TO TRACK DOWN THE PROBLEM MYSELF. WHILE WORKING ON THE TRUCK MY DOG HAPPENED TO JUMP INTO THE TRUCK AND ALL THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. I TOLD HIM TO GET OUT AND AS HE WAS GETTING DOWN HE MADE CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOOT WELL COVER AND ALL THE LIGHTS WENT BACK OUT. UPON REMOVING THE FOOT WELL COVER I IMMEDIATELY FOUND BROKEN AND CHARRED WIRING TO INCLUDE THE AIRBAG WIRES BEING COMPROMISED. THE AREA OF CONCERN IS WHERE THE FOOT WELL COVER AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE KICK WELL PANEL COME TOGETHER JUST BELOW AND TO THE LEFT OF THE PARKING BRAKE. THEY USE THE OPEN SPACE BELOW THE FOOT WELL COVER TO RUN THE WIRES TO VARIOUS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. SPEAKING WITH KENDALL FORD DEALERSHIP IN WASILLA ALASKA, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE WIRE BEING CHAFFED/BROKEN AND CHARRED WAS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PART AND THAT FORD WOULD NOT REPAIR IT OR REPLACE THE AIRBAG. REALLY FELT LIKE THEY DID NOT WANT TO EVEN TALK TO ME.