1997 Mercury Tracer

WE HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO GET IT CHECKED BY A COMPUTER AT A LOCAL SERVICE PARTS SHOP. WHEN WE CAME BACK WE STOPPED MY CAR AND IT WAS NOT RUNNING, IGNITION OFF. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND ITS AIR BAGS HAD GONE OFF, BREAKING MY CAR'S WINDSHIELD AND OBVIOUSLY MAKING A MESS IN MY CAR. THIS CONCERNS ME SINCE MY HUSBAND AND I HAD JUST BEEN IN THE CAR A WHILE AGO AND COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY TO US WITHOUT CAUSE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY TRACER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V323000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE). THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HER HANDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,437. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB UPDATED *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE CONSUMER'S DRIVEWAY WHEN BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DESTROYED BY MOISTURE INTRUSION INTO THE AIR BAG MODULE AND CONNECTORS. AS A RESULT OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THE WINDSHIELD THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AND THE DASHBOARD WAS DESTROYED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK THE CONSUMER LATER LEARNED OF A RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE INTRUSION WAS CAUSED BY A PIN HOLE LEAK IN THE HEATER CORE THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER INTENDS TO PURSE THE MATTER FURTHER. *NM

WHILE DRIVING DOWN AT SPEED OF 65-70 MPH, THE CAR CEASED TO ACCELORATE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ONCE THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED IT WOULD NO LONGER CRANK. TODAY WHEN I WENT TO CLEAN IT OUT (HAPPENED AT NIGHT)I SAW THAT A HOLE WAS BURNED THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH BOARD. ALSO I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SMOKE/FIRE RESIDUE ON THE WINDSHIELD COMING FROM THE DEFROST VENTS. BEFORE ANY OF THIS HAPPENED THE AIRBAG LIGTS WERE COMING ON AND THERE WAS A BURNT PLASTIC SMELL AND A SCENT OF AMMONIA SMELL COMING FROM GOD-KNOWS-WHERE. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GO TO WORK FOR 2 DAYS NOW. PLEASE TELL ME IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG MONITOR ON 1997 MERCURY TRACER.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED AN AMMONIA TYPE SMELL BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE VEHICLE, SOON AFTER, THERE WAS A BURNT PLASTIC ODOR ALSO EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AND MOMENTS LATER THE AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND FINALLY THE VEHICLE CEASED TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING WHILE THE VEHICLE BECAME SMOKY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE, RECALL #02V323000. *JB *NM

TWO WEEKS AGO MY CAR (A 1997 MERCURY TRACER) WAS INVOLVED IN AN CAR ACCIDENT IN KINGMAN, (4 HOURS NORTH WEST OF PHOENIX). THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAULT OF THE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYING WITHOUT CAUSE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I THEN NOTIFIED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND IT WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP HERE IN KINGMAN. LATER THE NEXT DAY WHILE THE REPAIR SHOP WAS DOING THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE, THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT. A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE INSURANCE COMPANY NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF WHICH I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. THEN CONFIRMING THAT TO ME THAT MY CAR WAS IN FACT TOTALED, AND THEY WISHED TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. EARLIER LAST WEEK I SENT AN EMAIL TO FORD MOTORS TELLING OF MY DISGUST OF THE COMPANY BECAUSE I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ON SUCH A SERIOUS ISSUE. ON FRIDAY 11/14 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM FORD MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. AT THIS TIME I AM WAITING FOR A RESPONSE BACK FROM, WHAT I ASSUME, IS THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. *LA

DRIVING ON I-20 EASTBOUND. SMELLED AMMONIA, THEN SMELLED BURNT PLASTIC, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INTERIOR LIGHT FLICKERED OFF AND ON, CAR BEGAN TO DECREASE SPEED DESPITE PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. WAS ABLE TO GET CAR INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE BEFORE IT COMPLETELY STOPPED MOVING. HOLE BURNT INTO PASSENGER AREA FROM UNDERNEATH DASH AREA. DEFROST AREA WARPED AND BURNT, BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD (GLASS PART) BURNT.