RoadVitals

2002 Ford Expedition Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest Nov 19, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 340 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
14
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
21

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Ford Expedition submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Nov 19, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. UPDATED 1/21/16 *CN

NHTSA ID
10794966
Incident
Nov 19, 2002
Mileage
4,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 26, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH DURING SLIPPERY WEATHER CONDITIONS, HE WAS PULLING OUT OF A INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE CONTACT SUFFERED PERMANENT BACK INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

NHTSA ID
10322310
Incident
Feb 26, 2009
Mileage
95,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 4, 2009

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. MECHANIC DOES NOT KNOW WHY. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10275734
Incident
Jul 1, 2009
Mileage
120,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 27, 2008
Crash reported2 injuries reported

OTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND I STRUCK HIS VEHICLE BROADSIDE WITH THE FRONT OF MY CAR. CAR IS TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10229035
Incident
May 24, 2008
Mileage
57,000 mi
AirbagsTransmission
Filed May 5, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY RECOMMENDED THAT THE DEALER SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 32 DAYS WHILE THE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31000.

NHTSA ID
10226720
Incident
Mar 31, 2008
Mileage
31,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 11, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT 30 MPH ON HIGHWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED INTO MY LANE FROM A SIDE STREET. MY VEHICLE "T-BONED" THE OTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLES AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10178434
Incident
Jan 9, 2007
Mileage
41,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 18, 2006
1 injury reported

TL*- THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN SHE PUT HER CAR IN REVERSE. CONTACT IS UPSET THAT DEALER WONT HELP HER BECAUSE THE AIR BAG HAS A 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND HER CAR IS AT 107,000 MILES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING.

NHTSA ID
10176500
Incident
Dec 16, 2006
Mileage
106,960 mi
AirbagsInterior & seats
Filed Jun 28, 2006
Crash reported3 injuries reported2 deaths reported

VEHICLE WITH 29,300 MILES. LIGHTLY DRIVEN, WELL MAINTAINED, INSPECTED, TIRES CHECKED & OIL CHANGED MARCH OF 2006. BORROWED MY MOM'S EXPEDITION. (BIG MISTAKE), LEAVING THE HOUSTON AREA HEADED FOR SAINT LOUIS WE GOT ABOUT 200+ MILES BEFORE THE TREAD CAME OFF. TOMBALL FORD, FORD COMPANY & CONTINENTAL / GENERAL GRABBER TIRES CHANGED OUR LIVES. HEADED IN BOUND IN THE RIGHT OR CENTER LANE A GRASSY STEEP MEDIAN SEPERATED THE SOUTH BOUND TRAFFIC. FELT A SMALL BUMP SO I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW DOWN & LIGHTLY BRAKED TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO HIT THE BRAKE WHEN THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD CAME OFF, TRIED MAINTAINING A STRAIGHT DIRECTION TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, BUT BEING SO TOP HEAVY NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED IT SHOT TOWARD THE MEDIAN LEANING TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE MY TEENAGE SON WAS. THANK GOD HE PARTIALLY LAID BACK HIS SEAT & SEAT BELT ON. WHEN IT ROLLED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, FROM THIS POINT I AM TOLD (WE BOTH HIT OUR HEADS & WERE UNCONCIOUS) SUV SHOT OUT OF THE MEDIAN UPSIDE DOWN ONTO ANOTHER CAR WE CONTINED TO ROLL ACROSS THE S-BOUND LANES & CAME TO A STOP FACING EAST. AIRBAGS DIDN'T DELPLOY, ALL WINDOWS WERE BUSTED OUT(XCPT 2), DRIVER DOOR IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT OPENED. MY SON & I ARE THANKFUL, I RECEIVED STAPLES TO THE BACK OF MY HEAD, I HAVE TO HAVE AN MRI ON MY HEAD & NECK, SON HAS TO HAVE HIS SHOULDER & HIP CHECKED. DRIVERS SEAT BROKE LOOSE, ENTIRE DASH WAS DESTROYED. PEOPLE IN THE OTHER CAR WERE VISITING FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY (I'M FILLED WITH SORROW & A LOT OF COUNSELING AHEAD OF ME) THEIR FAMILIES ARE IN MY PRAYERS & THOUGHTS DAILY, TWO OF THE PEOPLE IN THE OTHER CAR PASSED AWAY UPON IMPACT. I DIDN'T KNOW ANOTHER CAR WAS INVOLVED. AN ER LADY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE WRECK, MENTIONED 2 PEOPLE DIED. I WAS THINKNG NO WE DIDN'T WE ARE RIGHT HERE. I GOT THE MEDIC THERE TO GIVE ME THE DETAILS. ALL DUE TO A FAULTY TIRE THAT HAD PROBLEMS 00 & 01 MODEL OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED BUT NOT 02 OWNERS. P275/GRABBERS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10160946
Incident
Jun 15, 2006
Mileage
29,300 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 19, 2005
Crash reported3 injuries reported

AFTER HITTING BLACK ICE, THE VEHICLE SLID TO THE LEFT ACROSS THE ROAD, HIT A TREE HEAD ON AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TC (THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE)*JB

NHTSA ID
10108947
Incident
Dec 6, 2004
Airbags
Filed Jul 9, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A TRAFFIC LIGHT, CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO T-BONE THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10081637
Incident
Jun 17, 2004
Airbags
Filed Jun 24, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10079829
Incident
Jun 6, 2004
Mileage
36,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 20, 2003
Crash reportedFire reported1 injury reported

I REAR ENDED A TRUCK AT ABOUT 35-40 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY VEHICLE IS AT PLANET FORD HERE IN TEXAS AND THEY TOLD ME LAST WEEK THEY WAS GOING TO INVESTIGATE WHY THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. TODAY THEY TOLD ME THAT IT HAS TO BE A DIRECT HIT AND WITH $9,000.00 AND THE WHOLE FRONT FOLDING ON IMPACT I CONSIDER THAT A DIRECT HIT. THEY TOTALED THE VEHICLE I HIT. *LA

NHTSA ID
10047276
Incident
Nov 9, 2003
Airbags
Filed Sep 11, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING 55MPH ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT FRONTT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ID
8018448
Incident
Aug 30, 2002
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed May 21, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH, THE CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, IN WHICH THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK ESTIMATED PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS 20000 DOLLARS. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED THE FRONT-END TO COLLAPSE ALL THE WAY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. *SCC

NHTSA ID
8010257
Incident
Apr 30, 2002
Airbags
Filed Jan 31, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 30-40 MPH,HAD REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUFFERED BRUISES.*AK

NHTSA ID
8003331
Incident
Jan 23, 2002
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Jan 31, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION, CONSUMER SUFFERED BRUISES. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *JG *AK

NHTSA ID
8003327
Incident
Jan 23, 2002

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .