2003 Ford Escape Air Bags

I had a rear end at fault collision that totaled my 2003 Ford Escape on Dec.19, 2021....not one air bag deflated (yes I was at fault) because I was the one whom ran into the back of a jeep.....I'm having neck pain and spasms from whiplash, just curious whu not 1 airbG in the whole car deflated?

PLUG ON WIRE TO DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT SEPARATES WHEN ADJUSTING SEAT. MUST BE RECONNECTED EACH TIME. PURCHASED NEW AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BEACH FORD (888-869-6079, LOCATED AT 2717 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23452) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO THE AIR BAG INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 193,481.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE DEALER (GUS JOHNSON FORD, 8300 E SPRAGUE AVE, SPOKANE VALLEY, WA 99212, (509)-924-1000) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN AN AIR BAG RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID ON ICE, CROSSED OVER TWO LANES, AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL HEAD ON THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD, SHOULDER, NECK, AND LOWER BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE TOWING LOT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *TT *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED OCCASIONALLY, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (NAPA LINCOLN FORD, 300 SOSCOL, NAPA, CA, 94559) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

MY ABS LIGHTS IS ON. I THEN WAS ABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE WITH THE WIRES UNDER BOTH SEATS. THE WAY THEY WERE STABILIZED TO THE SEAT GLIDE HAS CAUSED THE WIRE TO FREY.I AM IN NEED OF NEW WIRING UNDER BOTH SEATS,DRIVER SIDE BEING THE WORST OF THE TWO.THIS IS NOT ANYTHING I HAVE DONE IT IS DUE TO POOR DESIGNS.

AIR BAG LIGHT GOES ON AND STAYS ON FOR AWHILE ,SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT GO OFF TILL I TURN THE CAR OFF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER SECURING THE SEAT BELT, THE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,800.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE IN PARK, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CONNECTOR UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BOTH TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

2003 FORD ESCAPE XLT. AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN THE CONSUMER HIT A DEER. *TA THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAVED IN, UPON IMPACT. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG FAILED TO ACTIVATE WHEN THE SEAT OCCUPANT WAS UTILIZING THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 230,907. UPDATED 09/02/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED. IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. UPDATED 09/12/2014 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000...UPDATED 08/11/14 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE XLT. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,400. UPDATED 8/28/12 CN UPDATED 08/29/12. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND THE SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. MOST RECENTLY, THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

I OWNED A 2003 ESCAPE AND HAD A HEAD ON ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF. NOT SURE WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ONE THE AIR BAGS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. AIR BAG LIGHT NEVER CAME ON OR GAVE ME ANY PROBLEM. *TR

A WIRING HARNESS FOR THE AIRBAG/SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM IN MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE FREQUENTLY HAS PROBLEMS CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE -- AND ACCORDING TO FORD THE AIRBAG IS DISABLED. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM OFF AND ON SINCE APPROXIMATELY 2005. FORD IS AWARE THAT THIS MODEL YEAR HAS PROBLEMS WITH THIS WIRING HARNESS AND ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN THAT OWNERS MUST REPLACE THE HARNESS. IF WIRING HARNESS IS FAULTY AND CAUSES AIRBAGS TO DISABLE, SHOULDN'T THIS BE A SAFETY RECALL INSTEAD OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR CONSUMERS TO REPAIR AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE? *TR

ON 4/25/2010 I HAD A PERSON RUN AN INTERSECTION CAUSING ME TO HIT THEM. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE. MY FRONT BUMPER AND GRILL WERE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE AS WELL. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHERS DOING THE SAME THING. I DROVE A 2003 FORD ESCAPE XLT. IT WAS TOTALED IN THE CRASH. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING THAT KEEP ME SAFE. I STILL GOT HURT WITH A HURT NECK AND BACK. *TR

AUG 2007- AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP FOUND DEFECT IN DRIVER/PASSENGER AIR BAG CIRCUIT LOCATED UNDER FRONT SEATS (DTC CODE - D1990/D1994). REPLACED CONNECTORS & HARNESS($490). SUGGESTED CAUSE WAS MOTION OF ADJUSTING POWER SEAT. NOW, OCT 2009 (MILEAGE - 85,000) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. FIRST FLASHING, THEN OFF FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN SOLIDLY ON AGAIN. IS THIS CIRCUIT LOCATED IN A PLACE WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE? IS THIS WHY THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ESCAPE AIR BAGS NOT OPENING IN A CRASH? CAN SOMEONE CHECK OUT THE LOCATION OF THE WIRING FOR THIS CIRCUIT? IS IT CAUSING AIR BAG FAILURE IN ESCAPES? DO WE NEED DEATHS? HAS FORD MADE CHANGES IN THE NEW ESCAPES? *TR

PURCHASED 2003 FORD ESCAPE 04/05/08. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK LATER RETURNED VEHICLE FOR OTHER MINOR FIXES WAS TOLD LIGHT WAS NOT IMPORTANT AS THE BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. DURING OIL CHANGE ON 12/08 TOLD FORD SERVICE DEPT. AGAIN ABOUT AIR BAG LIGHT SAME ANSWER. ALSO INFORM THEM ABOUT CAR SHAKING WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE I WAITED TOO LONG FOR OIL CHANGE. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR OIL CHANGE 07/08/09 WAS REFUSED VEHICLE TOLD IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE FOUND RT FRONT LOWER BALLJOINT LOOSE IN STEERING KNUCKLE WORN OUT STEERING KNUCKLE NEED TO REPLACE BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS AND RT FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE PROBABLY CAUSE OF WHY VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND WOULD COST ABOUT $1700 AND WERE NOT SURE IF EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD COVER. THEY WERE RUDE AND I BROKE DOWN. THIS CAR HAS HAD THE SHAKES SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I FINALLY TOOK MY VEHICLE HOME TO BRING IT BACK THE NEXT DAY. I PICKED IT UP ON THE 15TH ONCE FORD STATED ALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED VEHICLE WAS ROAD TESTED AND ENGINE LIGHT WAS GONE EXCEPT THEY DID NOTHING FOR THE AIR BAGS. THIS SHOP IS 12.07 MILES FROM MY HOME APPROX HALFWAY THROUGH THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING BETWEEN 45 AND 50MPH. I CALLED THEM WHEN I GOT HOME GAVE ME ANOTHER APPOINTMENT DIFFERENT DIAGNOSTIC. NO ONE IN THIS SHOP CAN TELL ME IF ANY RECALLS HAVE BEEN DONE ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A HANDICAP DAUGHTER WHO GETS HER MEDICAL CARE AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL AN HOUR AWAY. I NEED A SAFE VEHICLE. MY FAMILY CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR. THESE PEOPLE NEVER GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER AND PUT DOWN WHATEVER THEY WANT ON THEIR INVOICES. THIS SHOP IS RUN BY A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM NO ONE CARES IF MY VEHICLE IS SAFE THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF US. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN CORRECTED ON MY VEHICLE VIN . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *TR

PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG LIGHT, TAKE BY TO DEALER ON NUMBERS TIME (5) . EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR THE TIME OF PURCHASE (10/11/2008) CAN'T SEEM TO GET IT RIGHT THE DEALER STATED THE BAG WON'T WORK WHEN NEED. *TR

PROBLEM: VEHICLE IS BEEPING WARNING BEEPS FROM CLUSTER AREA, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. AIRBAG LIGHT/BEEPER KEEPS GOING OFF, JUST PAID FORD DEALER $595.20 TO REPLACE WIRING HARNESSES TO BOTH FRONT SEATS AND BOTH BODY HARNESSES FOR CODE B1869, REMOVED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND REPLACED BAD BULB FOR AIR BAG SYSTEM, CLEAR ALL CODES AND ROAD TEST 3 MILES. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPES, SEEMS TO BE AN OVERALL PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL AIRBAG WIRING. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT GOES ON. SOME TIMES IT WILL REMAIN ON AND SOMETIMES IT WILL FLASH. I HAD THE AIR BAG MODULE REPLACED ($600) AND IT WAS OK FOR 2 MONTHS AND STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY AND HAS SINCE REAPPEARED. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND ALOT OF OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. I BELIEVED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE LOOK AT.*CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT PRETENSION CODE WAS FAULTY. THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAIL TO DEPLOY WHEN IN A CRASH. ON OCTOBER 16, 2007, THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF A BEEPING SOUND AND THEY REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN SHE RETRIEVED HER VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2007. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT THE REPAIR FOR THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS HER RESPONSIBILITY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 82,629.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD OF OUR 2003 FORD ESCAPE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND MUST BE REPLACED. THE COST QUOTED WAS $450. I THEN DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I ALSO FOUND TWO DIFFERENT FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS, WHICH CLEARLY INDICATES THAT FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM. ON ANOTHER SITE A TECHNICIAN FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD SIMPLY BE FIXED BY SPRAYING THE CONTACT POINTS WITH AN ELECTRICAL CONTACT CLEANER SUCH AS WD40. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM TO FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RETURNED IN THE PAST 8 MONTHS. *TR