54 of the
1,483 complaints filed about the Ford Probe
are about the airbag system —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1993.
I WAS DRIVING A 1994 FORD PROBE SE, GOING NORTH ON WESTNEDGE IN PORTAGE, MICHIGAN WHEN I NOTICED TOO LATE THAT CAR IN FRONT OF ME HAD STOPPED MOVING. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND REAR ENDED IT. I WAS TRAVELING AT THE POSTED SPEED OF 35 MPH AND WAS SLOWING DOWN CONSIDERABLY BUT RAN OUT OF BRAKING ROOM. I BRACED FOR THE IMPACT AND HEARD A LOUD KRACK! AND THEN SOMETHING WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A SMALL BOMB HAD GONE OFF INSIDE MY CAR. I FELT A BURNING SENSATION AND THEN LOOKED AT MY ARM. IT LOOKED MANGLED, WITH GLASS IMBEDDED IN MY WRIST. THERE WAS LOTS OF SMOKE AND I HAD TROUBLE BREATHING. I HEARD MY WIFE SCREAMING AND SOBBING. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LAID ON THE GRASS. THE PAIN WAS AWFUL. I COULD NOT BEAR TO LOOK AT MY DISFIGURED ARM. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE ARRIVED. THEY SPENT A LONG TIME CHECKING ME OVER FOR INTERNAL BLEEDING AND A BROKEN NECK. MY WIFE COMPLAINED OF THE PAIN IN HER WRIST. I OVERHEARD THE PARAMEDIC DISCUSS OUR SITUATION. THEY EXPRESSED SURPRISE AT THE EXTENT OF OUR INJURIES IN COMPARISON TO THE DAMAGE FROM THE CRASH. WE SPENT 5 HOURS AT THE ER. MY WIFE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CLOSED FRACTURES TO HER RIGHT WRIST AND A BROKEN FINGER. I HAD BURNS ON MY RIGHT ARM WHERE THE END OF THE FOREARM AND ELBOW MEETS. I HAVE DEEP CUTS, ABRASION, AND BRUISES ON THAT ARM. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE OTHER CAR WERE ABLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT AND DROVE HOME AFTERWARDS. YET, WE ARE STILL COPING WITH THE INJURIES CAUSED BY THE INFLATION OF THE AIRBAGS IN WHAT SEEMED LIKE A LOW SPEED IMPACT. WE WERE WEARING OUR SEATBELTS AND DID NOT RECEIVE SEATBELT LACERATIONS. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, NO COLLAPSING OF THE A PILLARS OR ROOF THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED MY WIFE'S BROKEN ARMS OR ME TO SUFFER SERIOUS BURNS AND CUTS. WHAT DID HAPPEN WAS THAT THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED, SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH SENT GLASS ONTO MY WRIST, AND CAUSED CONCUSSIVE DAMAGE TO MINE AND MY WIFE'S RIGHT ARM.
NHTSA complaint #10133651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LTR REQUEST A COPY OF THE NHTSA REPORT RE AN AIRBAG PROBE OF THE 1997 FORD ESCORT. ATTY REPRESENTING CLIENT INJURED WHEN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A 1997 FORD ESCORT. *MR
NHTSA complaint #10074030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INVOLVED IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN LEXINGTON KY APPROXIMATE SPEED AT 20 MPH CRASHED THE FRONT OF VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED FRONT OF VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10023044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 2 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING ABOUT 45 MPH, IMPACT WAS ON THE DRIVER SIDE NEAR FRONT OF VEHICLE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HIT HER HEAD ON WINDSHIELD.
NHTSA complaint #896236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT STOP LIGHT VEHICLE WAS HIT BY DRUNK DRIVER IN RIGHT REAR & FRONT. THIS CAUSED LIGHTS INSIDE THE PANEL TO FLASH ON/OFF. INSURANCE CO. INSPECTOR CHECKED VEHICLE & NOTICED THAT IT WAS INVOLVED IN PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. HAD NO PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULE OR WIRES. VEHICLE WAS POORLY RECONSTRUCTED, WIRES WERE ALL CUT.
NHTSA complaint #872919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING 50MPH, VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. THERE WAS A FIVE CAR PILEUP. CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP.
NHTSA complaint #863522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 15 MPH, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BURNING THE PASSENGER, AND BREAKING FRONT WINDOW. PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG WAS UNDER RECALL 95E006000. DEALER SAID AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DOESN'T USUALLY BREAK WINDOWS.
NHTSA complaint #858227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CLOCK SPRING IN AIRBAG HAS BROKEN, AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY UNLESS THIS IS FIXED. FORD IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR REPAIR SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. WE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN IF THE LIGHT HAD NOT STARTED BLINKING. YOUR WEBSITE HAS MANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING AIRBAGS FOR THIS YEAR MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #713341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1ST INS- HORN STARTED WOULD NOT GO OFF ,SMOKE CAME OUT OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. HORN STILL WENT OFF AFTER CAR WAS TURNED OFF. HAD TO PULL FUSE. FORD SAID CLOCK SPRING IN STEERING WHEEL BROKE AND CRUSED CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN WIRES AND THE SHORT BLEW OUT THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL. FORD SAID IT WOULD COST MORE THEN THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX. HAD TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WITH USED ITEMS BECAUSE OF PRICE. SO THE MILLAGE IS ABOUT TEN THOUSAND MORE THEN ON THE ORIGANAL. . 2ND. AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHILE WE DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD. TOOK IT IN TWICE TO FORD. THEY SAY THEY CANT FIX IT BECAUSE THE LIGHT DOESNT STAY ON ALL THE TIME. WE ARE SCARED THAT THE AIR BAG WILL GO OFF WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. THEY SAID THEY DONT KNOW WHAT TO TELL US
NHTSA complaint #710838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE HYDRO PLANE AND HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH THE GUARD RAIL WHICH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #841374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND 65 MPH WHEN HIT SOMETHING IN THE STREET AND THE AIR BAGS ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DEPLOYED. INSURANCE COMPANY CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #828700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.