2007 Ford Focus

AT 7:30 THIS MORNING, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE PALISADES PARKWAY, MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 70 MPH, WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE IN THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN AND REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS STILL OPERATING FINE, BUT THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. I DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE, NOR WAS I HIT OR HIT ANY ONE OR ANY THING. IT JUST DEPLOYED ON IT'S OWN. THE SEAT BAG WAS LOCATED IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THERE IS NOW FOAM RUBBER IN THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR FROM THE SEAT. THE SEAM ON THE SEAT IS OPEN. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. I ALSO CALLED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE, WHICH ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER AND I SHOULD HEAR BACK IN ABOUT 24-48 HOURS. UPON LOOKING ON THE WEB, I HAVE FOUND ABOUT 25 ADDITIONAL INSTANCES OF THE SAME AIR BAG DEPLOYING FOR NO REASON. MY LEFT ARM, MY NECK ARE BRUISED FROM THE IMPACT OF THE AIRBAG. I ALSO AM HAVING RINGING IN MY LEFT EAR FROM THE BANG. IS THERE ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR A RECALL BASED ON MANY DEPLOYMENTS OF THIS AIRBAG? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE SERVICE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OF MY 2007 FORD FOCUS CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME AUGUST 31, 2011. THE CAR HAS 37,023 MILES AND HAS HAD ALL THE DEALER MAINTENANCE PERFORMED SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD BY THE LONGMONT FORD DEALER THAT THE ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER INDICATED A LOSS OF COMMUNICATION AND THAT THE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM WAS NOT ENGAGED WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC TO DETERMINE WHAT HAD CAUSED THE LIGHT TO ACTIVATE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD FAILED AND THAT THE ENTIRE CLUSTER MUST BE REPLACED. THIS ELECTRONIC FAILURE REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF NOT REPLACED AT A COST OF ~$800.00. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT OTHER DRIVERS OF THIS CAR MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THE SAFETY SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY INACTIVE WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILS IN THIS WAY. FORD DOES NOT OFFER TO REPLACE THIS AS PART OF THE SAFETY WARRANTY PROGRAM. I THINK THIS IS WRONG AND REPRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE FAILURE OR WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE SUCH A REPAIR AND CHOOSE TO DRIVE THE CARE WITHOUT THE SAFETY FEATURE OPERABLE. *TR

DRIVING DOWN DIRT ROAD ~45MPH. SPEED LIMIT IS 55MPH. SAID ROAD HAS NUMEROUS POTHOLES, NONE OF LARGE SIZE THAT WERE OBSERVED TO BE CATASTROPHIC. PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH PASSENGER IN SEAT. SPOKE WITH FORD COMPLAINT LINE, THEY DENY THIS AS A FAILURE WITHOUT INVESTIGATING OR INSPECTING, NOR DID THEY OFFER. FORD DEALER WHO IS REPAIRING VEHICLE, WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE INFORMATION OF WHAT SET THE AIRBAG OFF AS OF YET (SENSORS?). FORD DEALER CLAIMS POTHOLE DAMAGE ON VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS. ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING THE AIRBAG. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 2011. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A FAULTY SPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. UPDATED 07/06/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A CRASH. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE REPAIRS AND THE CONTACT WOULD RECEIVE A RETURN CALL. THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A CALL BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE DRIVERS SIDE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AFTER THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,500. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ FORD AUTHORIED THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG, SENSOR AND MODULE.