NHTSA Investigation PE09046

INADVERTENT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT

FORD REPORTS THAT THE INADVERTENT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS ARE MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE AIRBAG HORN MOUNTING PLATE'S SHARP METAL EDGE THAT EVENTUALLY CAN CHAFE/CUT THE AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING JUMPER WIRE LEADING TO A SHORT-TO-GROUND CONDITION.ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY TWO (182) OF THE 230 REPORTS WERE FOR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS RESULTING IN 56 INJURIES WITH REMAINING 48 REPORTS FOR AN AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION CONDITION.INJURIES INCLUDE ABRASION, CONTUSION AND CUTS TO THE ARM/HAND/FACE AND/OR UPPER BODY REGIONS.ONE OWNER REPORTED A BROKEN TOOTH AND TWO OWNERS REPORTED BEING KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.IN ADDITION, MY2004 AND MY2006 F-150 VEHICLES ALSO CONTAIN THE SAME DESIGN THAT RESULTED IN AN ADDITIONAL 89 REPORTS WITH 37 AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS AND NINE INJURIES. FORD MADE AN INTERIM DESIGN CHANGE TO THE HORN MOUNTING PLATE IN JANUARY 2006 AND THEN MAJOR CHANGES TO THE HORN MOUNTING PLATE, AIRBAG MODULE AND CLOCKSPRING JUMPER WIRE DESIGNS IN JUNE 2006 FOR THE MY2007 VEHICLES.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA10-001) TO INCLUDE MY2004-2006 F-150 VEHICLES AND TO FURTHER EVALUATE THE CONDITION.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.