2011 Ford Explorer: airbags did not deploy in a crash

Filed Feb 19, 2025 · Steering · 114,000 miles · NC · crash

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the steering wheel seized and was not functioning properly. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a crash into a gate where it came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. No warning light was illuminated. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

Filed Oct 25, 2022 · Airbags · MD · crash

2011 ford explorer. Consumer stated that during a collision the airbags did not deploy.

Filed Dec 31, 2014 · Airbags · 3,500 miles · NJ

I purchased a "certified" used 2011 explorer base with 3500 miles in march 2014 from ford dealer. Air bag light illuminated in may and stayed on steady...dealer replaced master module (under warranty) after a week of working on the vehicle. At the time, they told me when the light was on, it indicated the air bags would not deploy in a crash and they would not let me have the vehicle back while they waited for the part, a clear indication of how serious they considered the problem. Light has come back on three more times since (every 6-8 weeks). Each time since, dealer has "greased" electrical connections which causes the light to go off only temporarily. When the light comes back on, we are usually driving on the highway and not protected by this critical safety system. Aside from the extremely unsafe condition this poses to my family, it is becoming more and more difficult to bring the car back to the dealer every several weeks to have them only temporarily fix the issue. Based on other similar complaints, I expect this will continue for me until the warranty expires and I can't afford to fix the problem any longer. I approached the dealer's general manager and my regional ford rep about buying the vehicle back but they both told me they would only give me what the vehicle was worth (which would put me in a large financial hole)...

Filed May 21, 2014 · Airbags, Brakes · 39,350 miles · OH · crash · 1 injury

Air bag light has been on several times. Each time I have taken the vehicle in for service and they tell me each time they fixed it. I drive it some and the light comes back on. It is back in the shop for the tenth time I have paper trails and pictures to prove it. I ended up making an appointment the last time but before I got there I hit a deer end of march at 60 MPH and the air bag didn't go off once the body work got done I took it into the ford shop and they said there was a faulty sensor were the deer hit. They replaced it the I drove it eight miles and the light came back on so I turned around and they are telling me that there are no codes this time I have tried to get them to buy it back and they will not. The rear brakes have locked up four time and they have replace them each time and it continues to do the same with them also.

Filed Dec 5, 2011 · Airbags, Brakes · 6,059 miles · FL · crash · 1 injury

I pulled into my driveway at a slow rate of speed, as I was braking the car was not stopping, as I pressed on the brake pedal it collapsed all the way to the floor but the brakes did not engage, just before the car hit the garage door which was directly in front of me the right front brake engaged, fully, stopping the right front tire only, the car pulled to the right and instead of hitting the garage door it struck a concrete column to the immediate right of the garage door. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belts automatic locking retractor did not engage so I was thrown forward into the steering wheel. The vehicle was towed to the dealership it was purchased from. We contacted ford, filled out and returned the paperwork they requested, after almost four months of the vehicle sitting at the dealership waiting on ford they decided that the problem was not caused by a manufacturer's defect. I am not sure how they could come up with that assumption as the vehicle was not in drivable condition and according to the dealership ford never checked it. We have pictures showing the one skid mark from the right front tire and none from the other three tires.