Ford F150 MI Owners Worry Driver Side Airbags May Deploy Without Warning; Recall Announced

Feb. 25, 2011 - PRLog -- DETROIT, M.I. – Ford F150 MI dealers may have heard the announcement as Ford Motor Corp gears up for another large F150 recall this year. The first included F150 models from 2009 to 2010 with the door body structure being in question as the door handle spring may fail, causing the door latch to open. The new recall is for older models of the F150; 2004 to 2006 trucks.
The problem began with dozens of complaints from owners about the driver side airbag deploying without warning. In November, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had tried to initiate this current recall when it asked Ford Motor Corp to recall 1.3 million of the F150 trucks that may have had the problem with random airbag deployment. NHTSA had been investigating the issue since September 2009 and believed the problem to be wide-spread enough to warrant a large recall. Ford originally was resistant to the recall, even after the company received a letter from the NHTSA asking Ford to conduct the recall.
According to Ford, the number of incidents was low, and Ford believed the customers received adequate warning because their airbag warning light had been on. There were 77 injuries with 238 reported which included reports of chipped and broken teeth; cuts to the arm, hand and face; lacerations and minor burns. There were only two reports of owners losing consciousness from the deployed airbags.
In January, the NHTSA changed its investigation to a higher stage by conducting an Engineering Analysis. Once this occurred, Ford Motor Corp announced that it would in fact recall its Ford F150 MI vehicles. Most corporations announce a recall once their car recalls reach that level.
The problem lies with the airbag wires that can be chafed by a sharp metal edge of the horn plate during normal driving conditions or the vibrations from the road. A short from the wire being cut can cause the airbags to deploy without warning.
"During assembly, a specific air bag wire located in the steering wheel could have been improperly positioned so that it may chafe, expose bare copper and create the potential for a short circuit that would illuminate the warning lamp," said Ford Spokesman Wes Sherwood during the Tuesday press conference.
Any Ford F150 MI vehicle owners are encouraged to contact their local dealerships to have their wires and airbag unit checked for possible issues.
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