My husband was in a 3 vehicle accident on 10/13/26 at 6:48am. Someone hit him from behind and pushed him into the truck in front of him. The car behind him hit him again, but harder than the first time, and made him hit the truck in front of him again. The second hit caused major damage to the front end of the vehicle and minor damage to the back. It did blow out both back tires and crack the back rims. The driver side door was really hard to open and he had trouble getting out. No airbags deployed upon impact. With how hard he hit the truck in front of him, the airbags not deploying could be why he’s still having severe pain, 5 days after the accident. He’s still having chest pain that goes into his shoulder and down his arm, he’s still short of breath when he lies down and tries to stand up, and his neck and back are also still hurting him. The vehicle has not been inspected yet. We are waiting on the crash report to be done. There were no other symptoms of the problem before the accident.
Ford Escape no deployment problems
214 of the 27,615 owner complaints about the Ford Escape describe airbags did not deploy in a crash, most of them for the 2001 model year.
- owner complaints
- 214
- worst model year
- 2001
- typical repair cost reported
- $10,000
- typical mileage
- 52,000
By model year
Often reported together
Airbag light 13Sudden acceleration 11Seat belt 9Fire or smoke 4Engine failure 4Steering lock-up 3Stalling 3Headlights 3
What owners say
I was driving on US highway 221B I got a cramp pain in my left leg and I grabbed it and looked down. When I looked up I hit the guard rail on the right side of the road and then it bounced me to the left side and hit it . No air bags deployed !
The contact owned a 2012 Ford Escape. While driving in a parking lot at approximately 18-20 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated, and the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle struck a fence and an apartment building. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a cut above the nose, right shoulder pain, and a concussion. The contact received medical attention. The vehicle was towed by the insurance company and declared a total loss. The failure mileage was 44,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing out of the garage at approximately 3 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a parked vehicle directly behind it. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank image. The parked vehicle sustained damage to the front driver’s side fender. No air bags deployed. The vehicle was not towed. There was no warning light illuminated. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. No injuries were reported. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); as the possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 206,000.
While driving to pick up my daughter my hudband was driving on the interstate and the side airbags deployed for no reason. The front air bags did not deploy. Upon inspection of the car by an insurance collision expert there was no collision or rodents that could have affected the vehicle. It was deemed a mechanical or electrical failure/defect. My husband was traveling at 70 MPH he could have lost control of the car and crashed and potentially lost his life. A collision center has confirmed this. The vehicle has been inspected by collision center and insurance collsion expert. There were no warning messages or labels of any kind.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact’s husband stated that while driving 25 MPH, another vehicle unexpectedly cut in front of the vehicle, resulting in a collision. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the crash. The contact stated that upon impact, the driver-side air bags failed to deploy; however, the air bag warning light illuminated after the collision occurred. A police report was filed, but the report number was unavailable. The contact’s husband did not receive immediate medical attention at the scene. The contact’s husband later sought treatment at an emergency room. The contact's husband suffered an chest and knee injuries. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.
The accident occurred while I was driving south on Highway 38 at approximately 45 mph. Another driver pulled forward into my path and did not appear to see my vehicle. I attempted to swerve to avoid a more serious collision and protect both drivers, but the front driver-side area of my vehicle struck the rear driver-side area of the other vehicle. The impact caused significant front-end damage to my vehicle, particularly on the driver-side/front corner. Despite the severity of the collision and damage, my airbags did not deploy. The other vehicle’s airbags did deploy during the crash. I am concerned that the airbag system, crash sensors, or related safety components may have failed to activate properly during the collision. Due to the speed of travel and force of impact, I believe the lack of airbag deployment placed my safety at risk and could have resulted in serious injury. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. At this time, I am requesting an investigation into why the airbags did not deploy during the crash.
I was in a major high speed frontal crash on April 4th. I hydroplaned on 204 and I almost died and none of my airbags deployed. I have several videos from the tow yard showing that they were still intact and didn't deploy, but this firm won'tlet me upload them. This car has never been in a wreck before, and my airbags were never recalled like other Takota ones around that time period. The wreck so serious that none of the first responders knew how I survived or on crawled out of the car to get help. The only savageable things for parts in that entire car were two floorboards and my airbags didn't deploy at all. I have suffered many lacerations and bruising all over my body.
Driver rear-ended another car, the airbags did not deploy. The cars passenger front was damaged, the front end frame was bent, and the car is deemed totaled. Driver hit steering wheel.
Was in a rear end collision and the driver window and leg airbags deployed, but the steering wheel airbag did not deploy
Related recalls
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Escape vehicles. The passenger side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Risk
- During air bag deployment, the air bag cover may break and project fragments into the vehicle, or the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger side instrument panel cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C38.
Recall number 24V850000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and Transit vehicles. The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain air bags which may result in the diffuser detaching from the inflator in the event of an air bag deployment.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, if the diffuser detaches from the inflator during air bag deployment, the curtain air bag may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side curtain air bag modules, free of charge. An interim letter notifying owners of the safety risk was mailed August 3, 2020. The recall began January 11, 2021. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S35.
Recall number 20V415000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
- Risk
- If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S44.
Recall number 17V803000 · Recall details
Air bags: knee bolster
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C11.
Recall number 17V398000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 C-MAX, and Escape vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the restraint control module (RCM) may have errors in the programming software which may result in a delayed deployment of the side-curtain rollover air bag.
- Risk
- If the side-curtain rollover air bag is delayed in deploying in certain rollover circumstances, the risk of injury to the passengers is increased.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RCM, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑800‑392‑3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S04.
Recall number 14V237000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford Escape no deployment
Which Ford Escape years have airbags did not deploy in a crash problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2001 (20 complaints), 2002 (16 complaints) and 2011 (16 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix airbags did not deploy in a crash on the Ford Escape?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $10,000 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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