2003 Lincoln Ls

MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE THE AIRBAG IN THE DRIVER SEAT DEPLOYED ON ITS OWN WITH NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. IT RANG HER EARDRUM AND SCARED HER TO DEATH, THE CAR OF COURSE FILLED WITH DUST AND SHE PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND CALLED ME. SHE WAS ONLY ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM HOME SO I INSTRUCTED HER TO SLOWLY DRIVE IT HOME AND PARK IT. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE AIRBAGS IN THESE CARS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO OCCUR, HAD SHE BEEN GOING FASTER, IN THE RAIN, BEEN ELDERLY, ECT. SHE COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED OR KILLED SOMEONE ELSE. I AM VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THIS AND WE ARE BOTH SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR ANYMORE IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN. WHAT IF IT WAS THE STEERING WHEEL NEXT TIME? *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG IN THE SEAT DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON AT ALL. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I COULD HAVE WRECKED THE VEHICLE AND I HAD THREE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR WITH ME. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE AIRBAG BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CONTINUE TO BLOW ME OFF. *TR

WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON I20 IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG OF OUR 2003 LINCOLN LS 8 (56,000 MILES) DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DEPLOYMENT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMOKE IN THE CABIN. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE APPARENT SMOKE WAS REALLY SOME KIND OF FINE POWDER USED TO LUBRICATE THE AIR BAG. LUCKILY THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT CROWDED AND NOTHING HAPPENED. HOWEVER THE EVENT WAS VERY SCARY AND POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS UNDER DIFFERENT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. I HAVE HAD THE LS INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD FIND NO DAMAGE (FROM ROAD DEBRIS, FOR INSTANCE) THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. DAMAGE TO THE LS IS EXTENSIVE SINCE THE SIDE-IMPACT AIR BAGS ARE EMBEDDED IN THE SEAT BACK AND TEAR A HOLE IN THE SEAT WHEN THEY DEPLOY. THE LS HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS YET BUT I SUSPECT THAT THE SEAT BACK WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AS A MINIMUM. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE OCCURRENCES OF FALSE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THAT THEY HAVE SEEN GENERALLY ARE CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS DAMAGE. BUT AGAIN THEY SAW NO SEVERE DAMAGE SO THIS INCIDENT APPEARS TO BE A CASE AN AIR BAG MALFUNCTION. THE LS IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO FOOT THE REPAIR BILL. I HAVE FILLED WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO SEE IF I MY COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE WILL COVER IT, MUCH LIKE A BROKEN WINDSHIELD, BUT HAVE NO ANSWER YET. *JB

SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN PASSENGER SEAT WHILE CRUISING AT A SPEED OF APROX 65 MPH IN LEASED CAR. 2003 LINCOLN LS SEDAN. I WAS IN PASSENGER SEAT AND ARM & EAR WERE INJURED. DID NOT HIT OR RUN OVER ANYTHING. DEALER IS CLAIMING CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS OR SMALL ROCKS, AND THEREFORE IS OUR FAULT AND NEEDS TO BE PAID FOR BUY US OR AUTO INSURANCE. CLAIMING AIR BAGS NEVER GO OFF ON THEIR OWN. *JB

LEFT SIDE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED IN 2003 LINCOLN LS INJURING ROTATOR CUFF OF DRIVER. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, SIDE OR OTHERWISE. TALC BLINDED THE DRIVER, THE EXPLOSION WAS LOUD AND BURNING ON ARM AND SHOULDER MADE DRIVER THINK THE CAR HAD EXPLODED AND CAUSED PANIC TRYING TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND GET THE CAR STOPPED. WAS ON LIGHTLY TRAVELLED, SMOOTH ROAD, LITTLE TRAFFIC. *AK