1996 Ford Contour Airbags Problems

The contact owned a 1996 Ford Contour. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, going downhill, the vehicle hit black ice, then crashed into a parked vehicle. The air bags deployed and detached upon impact, slicing the contact's head open, snapped his fifth and sixth vertebrae, and the seatbelt fractured his ribs. The police were called to the scene of the collision. The police officer informed the contact that the air bag had detached from the steering wheel and was in the rear passenger seat. A police report was filed. The contact was transported to the hospital for injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11433685

Incident

Dec 27, 2007

Mileage

120,000 mi

CAR STALLS WHEN PARALLEL PARKING, ESPECIALLY IN REVERSE, OR WHEN PARKING SLOPES. CAR STALLED WHEN STARTING UP FROM RED LIGHT IN CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA INTERSECTIONS. HEADLAMPS OUT OF ALIGNMENT (DON'T SHINE DOWN ONTO ROAD, BEAMS NOT CENTERED). AIR BAG LIGHT ON CONTROL PANELS BLINKS SPORADICALLY, FREQUENTLY; ANXIETY THAT AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER COMMENT ON STALLING: "PROBABLY SOMETHING STUPID" AND WASN'T ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM, MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A VACUUM TUBE. DEALER CHARGED $95 TO TELL ME THAT THE MEMORY IN THE VEHICLE DIDN'T GIVE ANY CODES FOR THE STALLING OR AIR BAG PROBLEMS, THEN ADDED THAT THE MEMORY IS WIPED CLEAN EVERY TIME THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. QUESTION: IF THEY KNOW THAT ABOUT THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHY CHARGE THE CUSTOMER FOR A POINTLESS DIAGNOSTIC? HEADLIGHTS STILL OUT OF ALIGNMENT AFTER HAVING BEEN "ADJUSTED" BY DEALER IN JANUARY 2005. *NM

NHTSA ID

10107781

Incident

Aug 11, 2004

Mileage

66,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING A NOISE IS HEARD. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CLOCK SPRING. CROWN FORD DEALERSHIP IN NASHVILLE TENNESSEE STATED NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

10022761

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON

NHTSA ID

10002944

Incident

Jun 23, 2000

Mileage

84,327 mi

NO SUMMARY. DT

NHTSA ID

769260

Incident

Oct 21, 2002

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A BRIDGE AND A SUDDENTLY STOPPED FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT JUMPED IN FRONT OF HIM. DUAL AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF, AND HIT VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

891755

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

WHEN SLAMMING ON HIS BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED IN FRONT, AND AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER AND FRIEND WERE INJURED.*AK

NHTSA ID

887016

Incident

Apr 26, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH NEXT TO A CLOSE CURVE SAW A DEER IN FRONT OF VEHICLE ON ROAD. TRIED TO AVOID HITTING IT BY STEPPING ON BRAKES. THEY LOCKED UP, AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. NONE OF FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ID

878694

Incident

Jan 8, 2001

WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED. MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED. MY DAUGHTER STILL SUFFERS NECK AND BACK ACHES. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *AK

NHTSA ID

726162

Incident

Jun 30, 2000

REPORTING ON TWO DIFFERENCE OCCASIONS WHEN AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, CAUSING FRONT WINDSHIELD TO SHATTER. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CAN OR WILL BE DONE ON THIS MATTER, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

865627

Incident

Jul 15, 2000

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 45MPH AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG WENT OFF IN HIS FACE. *AK

NHTSA ID

855228

Incident

Jan 11, 2000

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN A VERY MINOR COLLISION, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO SUSTAIN INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

836113

MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WHERE THE CAR ROLLED OVER AND HIT NUMEROUS TREES. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT OPEN AND THE SEAT BELT BROKE AWAY... MIRACOUSLY MY SON ENDED UP IN THE BACK SEAT WITH ONLY A MODEST BUMP ON HIS HEAD. .... WITNESSESS AS WELL AS THE TOWING/WRECKING YARD COULD NOT BELIEVE THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE... WHEN PURCHASING THE AUTO I RECALL THAT SAFETY REPORTS WERE GENERALLY FAVORABLE... GIVEN THE IMPACT OF THIS ACCIDENT IT IS INCREDIBLE THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN AND THAT THE SEAT BELT BROKE AWAY...

NHTSA ID

700890

Incident

Nov 20, 1998

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 295,NEW JERSEY, I SLOWED DOWN TO GET OFF AT EXIT 4, SUDDENLY I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION (WHICH I THOUGHT WAS MY CAR EXPLODING) AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW BOTH AIR BAGS EXPLODED (PASSENGER & DRIVERS SIDE). THE FORCE AND POWER OF THE EXPLOSION CAUSED MY WINDSHIELD TO CRACK ON THE PASSENGER. I DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER CAR OR OBJECT,I WAS TRAVELING NO MORE THAN ABOUT 35,BECAUSE I WAS PREPARING TO GET OFF AT EXIT,AND THE ROAD SURFACE WAS SMOOTH. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER,MURPHY FORD,CHESTER,PA, WHO OFFERED LITTLE OR NO ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING THE EXACT CAUSE OF WHY TWO AIR BAGS WOULD EXPLODE OTHER THAN TO TELL ME I HAD TOO MUCH AIR IN ONE TIRE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS CONTACTED AND I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM THEM.

NHTSA ID

700350

Incident

Aug 13, 1998

WHILE PARKING VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP FOR NO REASON & THEN SHOT FORWARD. APPLYING BRAKES, DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. IT WENT OVER SMALL EMBANKMENT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

822068

Incident

Mar 23, 1998

AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

524002

Incident

Oct 8, 1997

WHILE DRIVING,THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

816830

Incident

Sep 19, 1997

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE TRAVLING ABOUT 25 MPH, AND HAD A VERY LIGHT IMPACT IN WHICH VEHICLE SKIDDED ABOUT 3 FEET INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT DIDN'T HAVE ANY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON VERY LIGHT IMPACT, CAUSING IT TO SMASH THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. IT ALSO SPLIT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL/DAMAGED GLOVE COMPARTMENT/BENT THE STEERING WHEEL, RESULTING IN EXTREME INJURIES TO THE NECK AND CHEST. ALSO PUNCTURED THE AIRBAG IN 2 PLACES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

813577

Incident

Jun 12, 1997

SHORT DRIVER WANTS AIRBAG DISCONNECTED.

NHTSA ID

603257

THE AIR BAG CAME OUT DUE TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT DID NOT INFLATE, CAUSED THE DRIVER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR AND SUSTAINING INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

811640

Incident

Apr 18, 1997

VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER'S FRONT SIDE AND THE SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. ALSO, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG KNOCKED DRIVER OUT OF SEAT AND HEAD HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. *AK

NHTSA ID

804118

Incident

Oct 22, 1996

NEED TO INSTALL ON/OFF SWITCH ON PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG. *AK

NHTSA ID

513639

VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS, CAUSING INJURY TO HEAD, NECK AND FACE.

NHTSA ID

602305

Incident

Sep 18, 1996

LUG NUTS WERE LOOSE, CAUSING WHEEL TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT, ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIRB AG UPON IMPACT. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

985019

Incident

May 12, 1996

UPON FRONTAL COLLISION, DRIVER MADE CONTACT W/STEERING WHEEL BEFORE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

976180

Incident

Dec 4, 1995