NHTSA Complaint #11407222 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE FORD DEALER WARNED ME THAT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY UNTIL I GOT THE ISSUE FIXED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY FORD, AS THEY HAVE ISSUED TSB IT. MY EXPLORER SPORT IS 4 MONTHS OVER THE 5 YEAR/60,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, SO I CONTACTED ASSURANT SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I BOUGHT A 72 MONTH/75,000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH USAA ON 1/6/2016. THIS WAS MY FIRST CLAIM AND THEY DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT 'SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS' WAS AN 'EXCLUDED ITEM'! WHAT'S INFURIATING IS THAT THEY COVER ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY, INTERIOR ELECTRONICS AND POWER TRAIN ELECTRONICS, BUT NOT 'SAFETY' ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS!! I RAISED CANE WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY WENT BACK TO FORD FOR A 'GOODWILL' WARRANTY COVERAGE AND THEY AGREED TO PAY FOR ALL BUT $261 OF THE REPAIR. WHILE I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE GOODWILL OFFER, FORD LOST ANY FUTURE BUSINESS FROM ME FOR NOT PROACTIVELY OFFERING THE GOODWILL COVERAGE FROM THE START BEFORE I HAD TO PURSUE OTHER OPTIONS. SHAME ON FORD!! IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A FULL RECALL, BUT IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH A CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURE, SO THEY SHOULD HAVE COVERED IT FROM THE START WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON! *TR