2003 Ford Expedition Air Bags
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON IN CAR JUST GOT THIS TRUCK FROM SOMEONE USED
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A FREEWAY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 65 I HEARD A LOUD POP, MY SEATBELT TIGHTENED AND BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, WITH A LOT OF SMOKE. I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS JUST HAPPENED YESTERDAY SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE TWO SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,943.
SIDE AIRBAGS SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE SAFELY AND NO APPARENT INJURY TO MYSELF OR PASSENGER EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLE HEARING LOSS DUE TO THE LOUD BANG ON DEPLOYMENT. I USED A KNIFE TO CUT THE BAGS AWAY FROM THE FRONT SIDE WINDOWS THEN CONTINUED DRIVING.
DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD IN A SCHOOL ZONE WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 PM, WHEN SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE BAGS DEPLOYED DEFLATED. I WAS NEAR A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SO I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. I WAS NOT HIT NOR DID I HIT ANYONE TO CAUSE THE BAGS TO DEPLOY.
WHILE DRIVING ON VACATION ON VANCOUVER ISLAND NEAR VICTORIA, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WE WERE UNINJURED AND DROVE TO THE FORD DEALER IN VICTORIA. NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE DEPLOYMENT AND THE SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED BY THE DEALER. IT IS STILL INACTIVATED.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, WOULD NOT FUNCTION ANY LONGER, AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *TR
ON SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00 PM, I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE NORTHBOUND ON CA-57 THROUGH BREA WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. I DID NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR OBJECT NOR WAS THERE AN EMINENT ROLL OVER. THIS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST LOOSE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE, BUT I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND SAFELY MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ONCE STOPPED, I OPENED ALL THE WINDOWS TO AIR OUT THE SMOKE FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH IN THE FAST LANE WESTBOUND ON HWY 4 IN MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION A EXTREMELY LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND SMOKE WAS SEEN FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HIT THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY I KEPT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO MERGE TO THE RIGHT TO PULL OVER IN THE EMERGENCY LANE. UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED. KNOWING THAT I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING NOR DID ANYTHING HIT THE VEHICLE I STILL WALKED AROUND THE WHOLE VEHICLE TO INSPECT FOR ANY POSSIBLE CAUSES. AFTER CONTACTING MY INSURANCE COMPANY THEY STATED THAT THIS DAMAGE WOULD NOT BE COVER DUE TO FAULTY CAUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY STATED NO IMPACTED WAS SUSTAINED TO THE VEHICLE. CONCLUSION BEING THAT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON THEIR OWN WITH NO IMPACT, POSSIBLY A SHORT OR JUST FAULTY EQUIPMENT. I'M GLAD MY FAMILY WASN'T HURT DURING THIS INCIDENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION . THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A BUILDING AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. *TR UPDATED 05/23/13*LJ UPDATED 06/11/2013 *JS
WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION DOING AROUND 20-30 MPH AND NOT ONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYS I NEED TO KNOW Y AND WHAT INFO I COULD GET ON IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION AND WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FORD EXPEDITION WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TURNED LEFT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY CAR. MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL LOCATIONS. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 159,000.
HEAD ON COLLISION, BOTH VEHICLES TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. 2003 EXPEDITION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE IMPACT, HOWEVER THE EXPEDITION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AS A RESULT THE EXPEDITION DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND SHOULDER ON STEERING WHEEL, WITH TORN SHOULDER MUSCLES AND POSSIBLE UPPER GI BLEEDING FROM THE SUDDEN STOPPAGE AND SEAT BELT INJURY. *NOTE***- ALL AIRBAGS ON THE 2010 SUBURBAN DID DEPLOY (OTHER TOTALED VEHICLE). *TR
WHILE DRIVING SOUTH IN THE FAST LANE, THE FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT (NO APPARENT REASON). THE DRIVER STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE SUV BUT HIT THE GUARD RAIL WITH THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. THE BACK LEFT TIRE THEN BLEW AND THE DRIVER HIT THE GUARD RAIL AGAIN, AT WHICH POINT THE A-FRAME AND FRONT AXLE WERE DESTROYED, ELIMINATING STEERING AND BRAKING FUNCTIONS. THE SUV CAREENED ON THE TWO LEFT TIRES, THEN SEVERAL MOMENTS LATER THE CAR FELL BACK DOWN TO ALL FOUR WHEELS, AND THE VEHICLE SLID ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO A STOP IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE. AT NO POINT IN TIME DID THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY. *TR
TL* THE DRIVER OWNED A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH AND COMPLETING A TURN WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A BRICK BUILDING. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER WAS KILLED AND FOUR OTHER PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
DRIVING SOUTH ON HWY 42, MCDONOUGH, GA. SPEED LIMIT 55MPH. WIFE WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 45-50MPH. CAR IN FRONT OF HER SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO TURN INTO A GAS STATION, WHICH HAPPENED TO HAVE THE COUNTIES CHEAPEST GAS. WIFE ATTEMPTED TO STOP, BUT NOT IN TIME, RESULTING IN THE FRONT OF HER 2003 FORD EXPEDITION CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF THE STOPPED DRIVER. ON A FAIRLY SEVERE TRAFFIC CRASH, THE AIRBAGS FOR OUR 2003 FORD EXPEDITION DID NOT DEPLOY. ALL DAMAGE TO THE EXPEDITION WAS FRONTAL. ALL DAMAGES TO THE STOPPED VEHICLE WERE TO THE REAR. *TR
THIS EVENT OCCURRED DECEMBER 2008. WE WERE HEADING TO A DINNER, PULLED ONTO GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE FROM HWY 114 IN IRVING, TX. THE ROADWAY IS FLAT, OUR SPEED WAS ACCELERATING TO GET ONTO THE FREEWAY FROM AN ENTRANCE RAMP. AS WE WERE MERGING ONTO GB TURNPIKE WE HEARD A LOUD BANG, OUR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED....FOR NO REASON. WE WERE SHOCKED. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT MAYBE SOMEONE HIT US. WE EVEN THOUGHT MAYBE SOMEONE SHOT AT OUR VEHICLE, THEN WE REALIZED THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED. FORTUNATELY, NEITHER OF US WERE SITTING WITH OUR HEADS OR ARMS NEAR THE WINDOWS TO BE INJURED BY THE DEPLOYMENT. WE CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, HOWEVER THEY TOLD US THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR US. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING, SO WE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO LOOK AT OUR VEHICLE. THEY CALLED A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FORD TO COME AND INSPECT IT. BASED ON THE READING BY THE "COMPUTER", IT INDICATED THAT OUR VEHICLE HAD ENCOUNTERED AN "IMPENDING ROLL-OVER". WE DISPUTED THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SUCH IMPENDING ROLLOVER, NOR WAS THERE ANY SWERVING, ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE EVEN BEEN CONSIDERED SOMETHING TO HAVE CAUSED THIS SITUATION. FORD WOULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE COMPUTER INDICATED THERE WAS AN IMPENDING ROLLOVER IT WAS DEEMED OUR FAULT, NOT A FAULTY COMPUTER. WE CONTACT FORD CORPORATE, THEY TREATED US AS THOUGH WE WERE JUST PEOPLE WANTING SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. WE WANTED OUR VEHICLE REPAIRED DUE TO THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT. THEY WOULD NOT RELENT, THE COMPUTER INDICATED IT WAS OUR FAULT, THEREFORE AS FAR AS THEY WERE CONCERNED WAS. WE SENT OUR COMPLAINT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION THE FIRST PART OF 2009, THERE WAS NEVER ANY ACTION TAKEN. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE WE HAVE HEARD OF THIS SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER VEHICLES. NOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS STEPPED IN DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OUR VEHICLE PLACED IN WITH THE RECALL WITH THE F150'S TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR
DRIVING ON SIDE ROAD DOING ABOUT 30 TO 35 MY SIDE AIR BAG CURTAINS DEPLOYED. SOUNDED LIKE A GUN WENT OFF AND WHITE POWDER CAME OUT,TOOK TO FORD SAID CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT CHARGE ME 250 DOLLARS TO TELL ME THE CODE SHOW AIR BAG DEPLOY, ABOUT 5 MONTHS LATE THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER WENT OFF WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT, SAME NOISE AND POWDER, FORD SAID NOT THEIR PROBLEM. *TR
HELLO, I AM WRITING TO YOU ABOUT MY VEHICLE. I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION AND WE WERE TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN TO NORTH CAROLINA SUNDAY 8/22/2010 WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 MINUTES AWAY FROM MY DESTINATION & ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A LOUD SOUND & A LOT OF PRESSURE HIT US IN THE CHEST. THE TRUCK THEN BEGINS TO FILL UP WITH SMOKE. I PULLED OVER NOT KNOWING WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED, WE THEN NOTICED THAT THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED. I DID NOT HIT ANYONE NOR DID ANYONE HIT US. I THEN CALLED 911 & ASK FOR THE POLICE TO COME OUT & GIVE ME A POLICE REPORT AND HE REFUSED TO GIVE ME ONE. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM FORD & THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO FOR ME BUT TO PUT IT ON A CENSOR MACHINE & FIND OUT WHY THEY DEPLOYED. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT MY CAR INSURANCE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS & THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THAT IT WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE & NOT THERE PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD CORPORATION & THE ONLY THING THAT THEY TOLD ME WAS THEY COULD JUST PUT IN A CLAIM BUT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THAT THEY COULD DO UNLESS SOMEONE DIE OR WAS SEVERELY INJURED. WELL ALL 3 OF US WERE INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT. I NEED HELP IN THIS MATTER. I AM NOW OUT OF A TRUCK THAT I AM STILL PAYING ON & LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR ME A RENTAL AND I HAVE FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE. EVERYWHERE I TURN EVERYONE IS TURNING ME DOWN, LIKES IT MY FAULT. THIS HAS CAUSED ME PAIN, SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL STRESS AND NOT TO MENTION TIME OFF WORK. IF SOMEONE COULD HELP IN ASSISTING ME WITH THIS MATTER I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. REGARDS, X *TR
A DEER CAME ONTO THE HIGHWAY AS I WAS SWITCHING LANES AND I SWERVED TO PREVENT HITTING. HIT THE DEER AND DRAG IT APPROX 60 FT. SPARKS AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AS WE FLIPPED. VEHICLE BEGAN TO FLIP 6-8 TIMES PER PASSENGER (DAUGHTER) AND A TRACTOR TRAILER DRIVER. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR THE FAILURE OF THE BAGS. THE EXPEDITION WAS TOTALED BECAUSE THE FRONT AND REAR WINDOW CAME OUT, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOW IN THE FRONT ROW WERE SHATTERED, THE ASHTRAY DISCONNECTED AND WENT OUT THE WINDOW. THE MIRRORS ON THE EXPO WERE DAMAGED AND THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE WAS TERRIBLY DAMAGED. A NEW VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS THE PRECEDING VEHICLE INDICATED A TURN. THE PRECEDING VEHICLE DID NOT COMPLETE THE TURN AND AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS LEFT HAND AND A FRACTURED STERNUM. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 128,000.
FOR NO REASON, WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *TR
IMMACULATE SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BOTH SIDES WHICH DRIVING. NO BUMP OR ACCIDENT. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Ford Expedition has 49 Air Bags complaints on file. 20 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.