NHTSA Complaint #11266543 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP IN WASILLA ALASKA TO REPORT THE ISSUE BUT THEY REMAIN UNHELPFUL. THE QUICKEST APPOINT IS A MONTH AWAY AND MY WIFE USES THIS VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTING MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL/APPOINTMENT AND BASIC EVERYDAY NEEDS. THE AIRBAG LIGHT OFTEN ILLUMINATES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND FIRST APPEARED WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT 34000 MILES. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP THEN, BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE UNLESS THE LIGHT REMAINED ON. IT APPEAREDS PERIODICALLY, OFTEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, BUT ALSO WHEN ITS BEING DRIVEN. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT THE SAME UNCONCERN RESPONSE. APPOINTMENTS ARE OFTEN MONTHS AWAY AND THE DEALERSHIP OFTEN DISMISS THE ISSUE AND SHOW NO URGENCY OR INTEREST IN FINDING OUT THE CAUSE. THE LIGHT DIAPPEARS AFTER A FEW SHUTDOWNS AND RESTARTS, SOMETIMES FOR WEEKS AND MONTHS BUT IT HAS BECAME A COMMON APPEARENCE AS THE VEHICLE CAME CLOSER TO 38K MILES AND NOW 40K MILES. PLEASE ADDRESS THE ISSUES OR AT LEADT LOOK INTO IT SO FORD CAN GIVE IT THE NEEDED ATTENTION BEFORE MYSELF OR SOMEONE LOSE A FAMILY MEMBER FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE FIX. THE VEHICLE IS OFTEN STATIONARY WHEN THE LIGHT APPEAR. SOMETIME ITS APPEARS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. BASE ON WHAT I HAVE READ FROM OTHER COMPLAINTS AND FROM PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE MODEL ITS SAFE TO ASSUME THE PROBLEM MOST LIKELY ORIGINATE FROM THE REAR SEAT, JUST BEHIND THE DRIVERS. IF ITS A WIRING ISSUE INVOLVING THE VEHICLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT THEN THIS MAY HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING A CASCADE AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN ONE OR MORE OD THE VEHICLE SAFETY FEATURES. I WILL INCLUDE A PICTURE OF THE MOST RECENT APPEARENCE OF THE AIRBAG LIGHT. STARTED ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 34.5K MILES AND IS BECOMING MORE COMMON NOW.