2000 FORD EXPLORER Air Bags Problems

Driving at the correct speed limit swerved to avoid hitting deer that ran out into the road hit a covert had seatbelt on airbags came out before that something hit me in side of my right arm it hit my elbow so hard and fast my arm was flung outwards and upwards which broke out the passenger side window the top of my elbow is broken that gave me a large purple bruise I got 2 pretty good size gashes on my arm also one on the bottom of my forearm and on the back side of my arm. Refer to request 1500509 and Request 1500511.

I was driving slowly (35mph), regular speed limit on that road is 60. Roads were snowy and icy, another vehicle driving extremely fast for the road conditions, started to swerve head on in to my lane, I swerved to avoid a head on collision. In doing so, I hit ice, started doing a 360, the front end and the drivers side door of my vehicle hit an irrigation ditch where it goes under a street, it caught my vehicle on the drivers side and I started rolling. I rolled 3 or 4 times and finally landed right side up. My roof was caved in and resting on the top of my head, shoulder and neck. However, none of my airbags deployed ( see pictures), even though I hit the irrigation ditch head-on. Vehicle can be inspected if needed. The vehicle is totaled as they had to cut the doors off...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARNING INDICATOR FOR THE SIDE AIR BAGS WAS ILLUMINATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE SIDE CRASH SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REVISED DESIGNED PART. THE CONTACT WAS TO CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE A SOLUTION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE OR IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PASS INSPECTION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V179000 (AIR BAGS). THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. ....UPDATED 08/29/16 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO CRASH INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND EMITTED METAL, GLASS, AND FIBERGLASS FRAGMENTS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SHOULDER, FACE, MOUTH, LEFT ARM, AND BREAST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/01/2015*LJ UPDATED 9/20/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE IGNITION WAS BEING STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FIVE TIMES WHERE AN UNKNOWN REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED AFTER EACH REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH AND CRASHED INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAS KILLED. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE CRASH BUT AFTER REVIEWING SEVERAL PICTURES OF THE CRASH SITE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WERE NOT INJURED. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER STARTING THE IGNITION, THE "AIR BAG" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 147,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER THE SAME DAY AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SIDE AIRBAG PROBLEM. THE TESTING CODE WAS 1998. THEY CHARGED ME $903.45 TO FIX IT ON AUGUST 30, 2007. ON AUGUST 23, 2008 THE AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I CALLED THE FORD DEALER AND TOOK IT RIGHT IN. WAS TOLD THE PART THEY REPLACED HAD GONE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. OF COURSE THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART AND THAT TOOK THREE DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS DON?T WORK. THIS HAPPENED SIX DAYS BEFORE THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY RAN OUT AND THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY BEEN 4,100 MILES SINCE THE PART WAS REPLACED. THE PART WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME ON AUGUST 27, 2008 UNDER THE ONE YEAR WARRANT...

IN AVOIDANCE OF HITTING A COW, I ROLLED MY FORD EXPLORER AT LEAST 3 TIMES AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, FRONT NOR THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS. MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF WERE FORTUNATE TO COME OUT WITH MINOR INJURIES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE HAVE NOT YET OFFERED TO SETTLE. *TR

CONSUMER LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT AND SHREDDED CAUSING CONSUMER TO REPLACE TIRE WITH SPARE. *TS THE TIRE BLEWOUT PRIOR TO THE CONSUMER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND DOOR AJAR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. LEFT SIDE WHEEL BEARING SHOT AND THE RIGHT SIDE WAS GOING BAD. REAR BRAKES SHOT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY, AND WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS SHUT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAG STRUCK THE PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSING BRUISES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE.

DT: THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH SHORTED OUT. SOMETIMES IT WOULD WORK AND THEN OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT WORK, AND FINALLY QUIT WORKING ALTOGETHER. HAD IT REPLACED BY MECHANIC, HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. CRUISE CONTROL FAILED ON JUNE 1, 2005. *AK THE CLOCKSPRING FAILED AND CAUSED THE HORN TO ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT WARING LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE NO LONGER WORKING. INITIALLY THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON PERIODICALLY AND THEN GO OFF FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM THE DEALER STATED THE ONLY WAY FORD WILL INSTALL THE WIRING KIT 3L2Z-14B455-AB, THAT FIXES THE PROBLEM, IS IF THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50000 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO PAY THEM TO INSTALL THE FIX KIT, BECAUSE THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK WITHOUT DOING SO.

THE AIR BAG CHECK LIGHT REMAINS ON. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INFORMS THE CONSUMER THAT THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT . OWNER WILL TAKE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS FOR THE THIRD TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND REMAINED ON UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. *NM *SC *JB

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DID NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH ANYTHING. *AK

FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO DECEMBER 5TH, 2004, THE HEAT ELEMENT IN MY 2000 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER SEAT WOULD BECOME PAINFULLY HOT UNDER THE LEFT LEG NEAR THE TORSO TO THE POINT WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF EACH TIME. IT WAS TURNED OFF AS IT BECAME PAINFUL, AND WE WERE CONCERNED WE WOULD BECOME BURNED AND WOULD THE SEAT CATCH ON FIRE. MY OTHER CONCERN FOR THIS IS SOMEONE, SUCH AS A DIABETIC, WITH NEUROPATHY WOULDN'T FEEL THE INTENSITY OF THE HEAT AND BECOME BURNED. 2) APPROX 2 WEEKS AFTER THE INITIAL EVENT THE SEAT LIGHT WILL COME ON BUT NO HEAT IS PRODUCED. WHY DID IT TAKE 2 WEEKS FOR THE ELEMENT (ASSUMED) TO BURN OUT? 3) THE CAR IS SCHEDULED TO GO TO AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC AS I DO NOT TRUST FORD TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THE DEALER IS NOT CONCERNED THAT MY...

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON FOR THE REMINDER OF THE TIME THAT VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE SAFETY HARNESS. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER HAD INFORMED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

2000 FORD EXPLORER. AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN TO THE FORD DEALER 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. THE LIGHT FLASHES 3 TIMES AND THEN 7 TIMES AND THEN STAYS ON.

AIR BAGS INOPERABLE DUE TO HIGH RESISTANCE OR POOR CONNECTIONS IN THE SIDE AIR BAG (SAB) WIRING HARNESS CIRCUITS OR RESTRAINTS CONTROL MODULE. (FORD ARTICLE #03-24-1) MANUFACTURER MAKES A SERVICE KIT FOR REPAIR AT CUSTOMERS EXPENSE OF $800 INSTALLED. I GUESS AIR BAGS AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT. *CB

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKERED OR STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD RESULT IN PREMATURE OR NON DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP HAS ONLY PERFORMED A TEMPORARY FIX TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY SERVICED THE TRUCK TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE STILL EXISTS. *AK *CB *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD. *MR THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON LONG AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SCC *JB

WHEN STARTING UP THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND WOULD STAY ON THE REMINDER OF THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINE. THE CONSUMER HAS NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVE. *NLM

WHILE MERGING ONTO A RAMP AT 25-35 MPH CONSUMER ALLOWED A VEHICLE TO PASS. SITTING AT A STAND STILL AT THE TOP OF THE RAMP WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED. CONSUMER WAS WEARING SEAT BELTS, BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. POLICE DID ARRIVE ON THE SCENE AND NO ONE WAS CITED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH AND WOULD NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. *NLM *AK *PH *NLM

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION ACCIDENT, NEITHER THE 4 AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH *TT

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER POINTED OUT THAT THE CORRODED CONNECTOR WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, TAKEN IN FOR WARANTY REPAIR, HAD SEVERAL WIRING HARNESSES REPLACED AND THE SIDE AIRBAG. *JG

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, TAKEN IN FOR WARANTY REPAIR, HAD SEVERAL WIRING HARNESSES REPLACED AND THE SIDE AIRBAG. *JG

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, TAKEN IN FOR WARANTY REPAIR, HAD SEVERAL WIRING HARNESSES REPLACED AND THE SIDE AIRBAG. *JG

WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON, LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. HAD LIGHT FIXED SIX TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *SLC

WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON UNTIL VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS SEVERAL TIMES.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATRED THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, DEALER REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, ALSO THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT,AND THERE WAS ALSO SMOKE COMING FROM THE UPPER STEEING COLUMN.*SLC

THIS COMPONENT CONTROLS THE OPERATION OF THE TWO FRONT AIRBAGS. THIS WIRE HARNESS JUST STOPPED WORKING. *AK

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER POINTED OUT THAT THE CORRODED CONNECTOR WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND FLASHING. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES BUT MECHANIC CAN NOT RESOLVE PROBLEM.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER, BUT CHECK THE FUEL CAP LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS BACK AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH

RECALLS 00V22801/ SEAT BELT BUCKLES AND 00V179000/ AIR BAG SYSTEM. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. DEALERSHIP WAS FIRST NOTIFIED ON 11/7/2000. *AK