2002 Ford Escape: airbags did not deploy in a crash

Filed Jan 29, 2016 · Airbags · 177,000 miles · OH · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. While driving approximately 5 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, another vehicle struck the front end of the contact's vehicle. The contact's vehicle spun around and struck the other vehicle again. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact received chest injuries that needed medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The approximate failure mileage was 177,000. The VIN was invalid. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.

Filed Feb 26, 2015 · Airbags · 131,000 miles · WV · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. While driving at 45 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle due to ice and gravel on the highway. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a bruised head and fractured thumb that required medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed May 5, 2014 · Airbags · 181,000 miles · AL · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was traveling approximately 45 MPH before crashing into the rear of a utility truck. The contact indicated that during the crash, the air bags did not deploy. The driver suffered head, chest, and leg injuries and was transported to the hospital. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 181,000.

Filed Mar 14, 2014 · Airbags, Body · TX · crash · 1 injury

Escape was hit on front left bumper by another vehicle, causing escape to exit highway and crashing into and sliding down a concrete overpass pillar; damaging the front bumper, light, and complete left side of escape. The airbag did not deploy!

Filed Feb 21, 2013 · Airbags · CT

I have had my 2002 ford escape since june 2002. I bought it brand new and I have never had any problems with my airbags before and have never been in any accidents that would cause the airbags to deploy. All of a sudden in early january 2013, I started to notice my check airbag light on my dashboard illuminate. I thought this was odd since it had never done so before and I had never been in any accidents so I didn't really think anything of it and thought the light would just go off. The light continued to go on and so I finally brought it to the dealership on february 15, 2003. The dealership performed a diagnostic test on the airbag system only to find out that both of the pre-tensioner connectors that clip to the wire harness that makes the airbag system work had high resistance and needed to be replaced. Without a fix, the airbag system no longer worked. They claimed that over time with the wear and tear of the vehicle, this will happen and the clips will no longer clip as they said. I find that hard to believe that a major safety feature of a vehicle such as airbags would all of a sudden stop working creating a potentially hazardous situation if there was an accident and the airbags did not deploy. I just wanted to share my story with you in case there have been other similar situations with this make and model of vehicle that might warrant a model recall in the future.

Filed Oct 17, 2011 · Airbags, Transmission · 25 miles · UT · crash

In march 2004 while driving at a low rate of speed, I clipped the corner of a parked vehicle which caused my ford escape to overturn. No airbags deployed. In september 2009 while entering a freeway during a heavy rainstorm, driving at a low rate of speed, the escape hydro planed, slammed into the cement barrier rendering the vehicle useless. Despite the vehicle having spun multiple times and being slammed into the barrier at such an impact the transmission dropped several inches, no airbags deployed. This vehicle was purchased new from butterfield ford in salt lake, at a cost of $22, 200. In the 5+ years of owning this vehicle, I spent more than $10,000 in repairs - for a brand new vehicle. Despite my pleas to the dealer ship, I was never provided any remedy. Despite a dpf sensor going out 3 times and only being covered once by warranty, calipers going out and then brakes shortly after the vehicles warranty expires which ford will not cover despite the calipers having just been replaced. The exhaust manifold, the latch to the tail gate did not work. This vehicle was a lemon and ford never even tried to provide a remedy. My primary concern, the air bags did not deploy despite the vehicle turning over during the first accident nor when I hit a cement barrier with such force the transmission dropped several inches.

Filed Jan 13, 2011 · Airbags, Brakes · 220,000 miles · CA · crash

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. When the contact applied the brakes at a traffic light, the brake pedal extended to floor causing the contact to crash into a light pole at 25 MPH. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The vehicle had not been inspected, but the contact was certain that the vehicle was destroyed. The contact referenced the federal safety agency recall campaign 07v156000, service brakes unit control module; however, the recall repair was performed two years prior to the crash and the repair caused the crash to occur. The failure and current mileages were 220,000. Updated 3/8/11 *cn updated 12/14/11

Filed Jan 30, 2007 · Airbags · NC

I have had many problems with the airbag light coming on and off randomly in my 2002 ford escape & have read on the internet that other people are experiencing the same problem. I have taken my vehicle to the dealership for the 2nd time and they replaced the airbag pretensioner, as it had gone bad. I was advised that if the light were on, the airbag would not deploy. I do not believe this is a "wear-and-tear" part and ford needs to look into the situation to make sure a recall is not needed.

Filed Oct 8, 2004 · Airbags · 59,000 miles · MI · crash · 1 injury

Driving westbound approximately 35 miles per hour, another vehicle turned left in front of me resulting in front end damage to my car. Sustained whiplash, treated at hospital and released. Continuing care with primary care physician. Airbags did not deploy. Contacted ford motor company directly to report airbag non-deployment and was told that the airbag system needed to be checked after vehicle repairs are made and results sent directly to ford at my cost. Ford then referred the complaint to their legal department. Situation currently ongoing.

Filed Sep 8, 2004 · Acceleration, Airbags · 46,000 miles · RI · crash

Vehicle suddenly surged forward. Vehicle is currently at the police garage waiting to be investigated. *ak the consumer was pulling into his driveway, put the vehicle in park and pulled up the emergency brake. The consumer exited the vehicle to retrieve her mail and got back into the vehicle. The consumer put the emergency brake down and proceed to shift the vehicle into drive. When the vehicle was shifted into drive the vehicle accelerated suddenly and could not be stopped, not even by applying the brake. The vehicle went through a garage wall, through a utility room and came out the back of the house and hit a small tree. The air bag did not deploy. The car was totaled.

Filed Apr 8, 2004 · Airbags, Engine · 25,000 miles · PA · crash

While driving air bag light illuminated. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the illumination of air bag light happened in an intermittent basis. Consumer was also involved in an accident where his air bags failed to deploy. In addition, consumer experienced noise in steering wheel and rattling noise in exhaust.

Filed Jan 23, 2004 · Airbags · 25,000 miles · OK · crash

I was driving on the interstate at 65 MPH and a deer came out in the road and I hit it. The car sustained engine damaged and pushed the hood up. It pushed the engine back and the air bags did not deploy.