"TAKATA RECALL" THE PASSENGER SEAT IS NOT REGISTERING THAT THERE'S SOMEONE SITTING THERE WHO 5'5" AND WEIGHS ALMOST 135 POUNDS AND IS WEARING HIS SEATBELT. SO THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE COMES ON AND SAYS "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" AND THE YELLOW AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS LIT UP ON THE DRIVERS DASHBOARD UNTIL…
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"TAKATA RECALL" THE PASSENGER SEAT IS NOT REGISTERING THAT THERE'S SOMEONE SITTING THERE WHO 5'5" AND WEIGHS ALMOST 135 POUNDS AND IS WEARING HIS SEATBELT. SO THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE COMES ON AND SAYS "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" AND THE YELLOW AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS LIT UP ON THE DRIVERS DASHBOARD UNTIL THE CAR IS SHUT OFF, ALL WITH SOMEONE WHO'S BIG ENOUGH FOR THE AIRBAG SENSOR TO KNOW HE'S SITTING THERE. ALL VEHICLES HE SITS IN THAT HAVE SENSORS FOR AIRBAGS FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT ALWAYS READ THAT HE'S SITTING THERE, SO I KNOW HE'S BIG ENOUGH TO SET THE SENSOR OFF AND FOR IT YO KNOW HE'S SITTING THERE AND TO ACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. PICTURES ARE OF THE YELLOW AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS, THE CENTER CONSOLE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF", AND A FEW SHOWING WHERE HE'S SITTING IN THE SEAT AND BOTH THE YELLOW LIGHTS ARE STILL ON. THE YELLOW LIGHTS ARE ONLY ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING, IN MOTION, ON HIGHWAY, STOPPED, ON CITY STREETS, TURNING, AND GOING FORWARD. (ITSL'S ALRIGHT TO SHARE ALL PICTURES PUBLICLY, I KNEW THEY'D BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC BEFORE TAKING THEM.)
NHTSA ODI #11113710
31,848 miles · Aug 8, 2009
SeatsCrashInjury
HEAD RESTRAINT FOR DRIVER'S SEAT CAME OUT OF THE SEAT DURING A REAR-END COLLISION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10279764
300 miles · Sep 25, 2008
SeatsInjury
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, REACHED UNDER THE SEAT, AND CUT HIS HAND. HE WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD SEVERED A TENDON, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO RECEIVE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STITCHES. A FEW WEEKS LATER, HE SPOKE WITH THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED NOT TO PLACE …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, REACHED UNDER THE SEAT, AND CUT HIS HAND. HE WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD SEVERED A TENDON, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO RECEIVE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STITCHES. A FEW WEEKS LATER, HE SPOKE WITH THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED NOT TO PLACE HIS HAND UNDERNEATH THE SEAT. THE CONTACT IS UNAWARE OF WHAT CUT HIS HAND AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY PREVENT THE DRIVER AIR BAG FROM PROPERLY DEPLOYING AND REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE YOUR DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO
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