2003 Ford Focus Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE, CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND SPUN AROUND. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, FACIAL BRUISING, AND WHIPLASH. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE DRIVER SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HIS INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT WHERE THEY REFUSE THE CONTACT TO VIEW/TAKE PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE UNLESS A FEE WAS PAID. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 267,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 01/26/2017*CT UPDATED 7/13/18*JB *TR

ON FEB 11, 2015 I WAS DRIVING TO GO TO THE VET. I HAD NOT BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS. I CAME UPON AN AREA THAT WAS A VERY BAD CHUNK OF ROAD...PATCHES OVER PATCHES AND VERY BUMPY. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR TILTED TO THE RIGHT AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. IT TOOK ME A COUPLE SECONDS TO REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. MY AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (SIDE AIRBAG) HAD DEPLOYED. SCARED ME! I HAD NO IDEA WHY IT HAD GONE OFF. BUT THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DRIVING OK STILL SO I CONTINUED TO THE VET ABOUT 1-2 MILES AWAY. I WONDERED IF A DEER HAD HIT THE SIDE OF MY CAR BUT WHEN I GOT TO THE VET AND CHECKED MY CAR, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE SIDE OF MY CAR. SINCE THEN I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOY WHEN HITTING A POTHOLE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT BACK AND TOOK PICTURES OF THAT AREA AND A VIDEO.THIS WAS BY A GUARDRAIL WITH A HUGE DROP OFF ON THE SIDE. I AM LUCKY I DIDN'T LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR WHEN THE AIRBAG EXPLODED RIGHT NEXT TO ME AND POSSIBLY GO THROUGH THE GUARDRAIL AND OFF OF THAT STEEP DROP OFF. THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION AND THANK GOD, NOBODY WAS IN THAT SEAT. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS ON THAT ROAD BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED OVER I SAW A BIG WHITE CIRCLE (DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT FIRST...THOUGHT MY WINDOW HAD BROKEN) AND I SAW THE END OF THE GUARD RAIL WHERE IT ANGLES DOWN AT THE END. I WAS NOT SPEEDING, OR ON THE PHONE. JUST DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD AND HAD $1700 WORTH OF DAMAGE DONE TO MY CAR. I ONLY HAVE PL/PD ON THAT CAR SO MY INSURANCE WON'T COVER IT.

AIRBAG WARNING SYSTEM LIGHT FLASHES ON INDICATING POSSIBLE FAILURE OR DEFECTIVE SYSTEM BUT DOES NOT REMAIN ON. LIGHT GOES OUT ABOUT 1 HOUR OR SO OF DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH OVER A POT HOLE, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND BOTH THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX 70MPH, I SIGNALED MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL. AS I CHANGED INTO THE LEFT LANE, MY DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS OPEN SO SOME SEAT FOAM AND SMOKE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. I PULLED OVER AND THE OTHER DRIVER STOPPED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND CHECKED TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE HOME. *TR

WAS TRAVELING AT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THERE WAS NO IMPACT. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. AT THIS TIME THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AS A RESULT THE HORN WAS INOPERABLE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CLOCKSPRING WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

ON 8/1/2011, GOING 40MPH I HIT A DEER. THE WHOLE HOOD OF MY CAR IS PUSHED IN,MY RADIATOR IS PUSHED IN, I CANNOT OPEN THE HOOD, THE DEER IS DEAD AND BOTH OF THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HOWEVER MY AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT LIGHT DID COME ON. WHAT A DEFECT. AT 10 MPH I COULD POSSIBLE UNDERSTAND BUT AT 40 MPH, I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW IN 2003 FOR SAFETY, NOW EVEN IF IT WERE FIXED I WOULD BE SCARED TO DRIVE IT. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS WAGON. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR ROAD HAZARD THAT CAUSED THE DEPLOYMENT AND NONE OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTIFY THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 49,000.

2003 FORD FOCUS INVOLVED IN FRONT END COLLISION CAR WAS TOTALED AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN SERIOUS FRONTAL CRASH AND AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TR

2003 FORD FOCUS SE COM WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD ON WHOLE FRONT END DAMAGED AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER IMPACT. *TR

2003 FOCUS SE COM. WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD ON ACCIDENT FRONT END DAMAGED BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER IMPACT. *TR

UNTIL A WEEK AGO, I WAS THE HAPPY OWNER OF AN '03 ZX3 FOCUS. ON 7/15, I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID A CAR DRIFTING INTO MY LANE AND HIT THE CONCRETE RETAINING WALL AT ABOUT 60 MPH. THE SHOCK WAS ENOUGH TO CRUSH MOST OF THE FRONT AND ENGINE BLOCK AND BREAK THE AXLE. YET THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SHAME ON YOU FORD. *TR

I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS EX. ON THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND I LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW A FORD MUSTANG BARRELING DOWN ON ME. WITH NO TIME TO REACT, I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. WHAT BOTHERS ME IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, EVEN THOUGH I CAME DEATHLY CLOSE TO SMASHING MY FACE AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, POTHOLES NOR BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, HOWEVER THE DRIVER SEAT WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE SENSOR WAS TOO SENSITIVE. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED THE DEALERS DETERMINATION WAS CONFIRMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. UPDATED 07/26/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, A VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT THE SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS BRAKING BEFORE IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM

DT: 2003 FORD FOCUS - AUGUST 11, 2005 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. FORD DEALERSHIP REQUESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE THE ACCIDENT. ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005 THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE ACCIDENT. CONSUMER CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURE FIVE TIMES WITH NO RESULTS, COULD GET THE MANUFACTURER TO COLLOBORATE ON THIS MATTER. WHILE DRIVING LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WENT INTO THE DITCH, HIT TWO ROCKS, A TRE, AND CAME TO REST AT THE THIRD ROCK. THIS WAS A FRONTAL IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON BEFORE THE ACCIDENT INDICATING THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT TELL THE CONSUMER WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE WAS ONE INJURY.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE COLLIDED ON 9-29-05 WITH AN AUTOMOBILE THAT CAME ACROSS THE MEDIUM AT A STOP SIGN. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN IT WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT THE OTHER CAR WHILE GOING BETWEEN 48-50 MPH. IT HIT THE RIGHT SIDE PANEL IMMEDIATELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY LIGHTS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD GIVE HIM A STATEMENT IN WRITING EXPLAINING WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WANTED A STATEMENT FROM FORD HEADQUARTERS IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN , BUT FORD REFUSED. INITIALLY, TOLD HIM TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER WOULD TURN THIS INCIDENT INTO THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SINCE THEN INDICATED THAT THEY COULD NOT TURN OVER THE ACCIDENT CASE TO THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THEY WOULD TURN IT OVER TO THE COMPLAINTS DEPARTMENT.*AK UPDATED 11/15/05. *JB

I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT ON 9-15-2005 MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE. *NM

DT: CONSUMER HAS A 2003 FORD FOCUS WHICH WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION ON AUGUST 7, 2005 WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING AND APPLIED BRAKES BEFORE IMPACT, WHEN THE OTHER VEHICLE HIT THE FRONT END VEHICLE WENT OUT OF GEAR AND WAS KNOCKED BACKWARDS. ROAD WAS DRY AND CLEAR OF DEBRIS. CONSUMER, SON AND , DAUGHTER SUSTAINED INJURIES. . CONSUMER SUSTAINED LOWER BACK AND NECK INJURIES, . SON AND DAUGHTER SUSTAINED NECK INJURIES. POLICE AT SCENE WERE SHOCKED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALL OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. *AK

WHILE MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WAS BEING VACUUM AT THE CARWASH, THE SIDE PASSENGER AIRBAG OF MY 2003 FORD FOCUS DEPLOYED. MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT. I HAD MY CAR TOWED FROM THE CARWASH TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR. THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT GIVEN ME A SOLID REASON AS TO WHY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THEIR THEORIES HAVE RANGED FROM DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE, THE FORCE OF THE VACUUM AT THE CARWASH, TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT I RAN OVER A TIRE. *AK

ON DECEMBER 20, 2004 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN MY FORD FOCUS ZTS. THE ROADS WERE VERY ICY, AND NEAR MY HOME, I SLID ON A PATCH OF ICE, WENT OVER A SMALL BANK, AND HIT 2 TREES IN SOMEONE'S YARD. WHILE I WAS SLIDING I WAS HEADED TO HIT ONE TREE HEAD ON, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STEER AWAY TO WHERE I HIT BOTH TREES AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME, BUT ONLY FROM THE SIDE. HOWEVER, NEITHER MY FRONT NOR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH WAS ENOUGH TO TOTAL MY CAR, EVEN THOUGH I WAS ONLY GOING 25 M.P.H. IT WAS BRAND NEW, ONLY 20,000 MILES. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE DEPLOYED.*AK

THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. NO INJURIES REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK