1997 Ford Escort

ON APRIL 17 MY 1997 FORD ESCORT WAS INVOLVED WITH FLYING ROAD DEBRIS ON THE INTERSTATE. A PIECE OF TIRE WAS THROWN BY THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME INTO MY BUMPER COVER. WHAT WOULD HAVE STARTED OUT AS A MINOR SCRATCH IN THE BUMPER TURNED INTO A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND TWO BLOWN AIRBAGS, WHICH ASSISTED IN NO WAY. THEY CAUSED BURNS ON THE ARMS AND CREATED A DRIVING HAZARD ON THE ROAD IN WHICH I ENDED UP IN THE MEDIAN TRYING TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. I FEEL THESE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE EXPLODED IN THIS INCIDENT. NO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CREATE SUCH CONDITIONS FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WAS TOO SENSITIVE. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHETHER OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE HAVE OCCURRED? HAS ANY TYPE OF RECALL BEEN WARRANTED WITH PREMATURE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT? POTENTIAL FOR INJURIES WERE TREMENDOUS IN THIS INCIDENT. I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.*AK

HORN STUCK, DOES NOT TURN OFF. TO REPLACE, DEALER MUST REPLACE AIRBAG ALSO. SAYS AIRBAG MAY MALFUNCTION BECAUSE HORN MALFUNCTIONED. ABOUT 7 SIMILAR PROBLEMS ARE LISTED ON THIS WEB SITE. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE AND A MALFUNCTION IN THE HORN SHOULDN'T CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THE AIRBAG. PLUS, IT'S NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM THAT'S WRONG WITH THE CAR. HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE HORN WHILE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER DID NOT CATCH THIS PROBLEM WITH THE HORN/AIRBAG. ISN'T THIS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD PUT PASSENGERS AT RISK. WHO WOULD GUESS THAT A PROBLEM WITH THE HORN MAY LEAD TO A DEPLOYMENT PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG?*AK

THE HEATER CORE LEAKED ONTO THE AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. THIS ITEM WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE HEATER CORE FOR A COST OF $955.00. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM CATCHING ON FIRE AND BURNING UP, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT STEGALL FORD IN PONTOTOC STATED I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN BECAUSE THE NEW PART WAS SEALED IN PLASTIC. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR ODI ID LOGS OF 865884,867236,845896 AND 845837 ALONG WITH NUMEROUS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS FOR THIS MODEL CAR FOR NO REASON. I BELIEVE THIS PART WAS CHANGED BY FORD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON ALL MODELS. I WORK AS A DESIGN ENGINEER AND IF AN ELECTRICAL ITEM IS SUBJECT TO MOISTURE INJESTION, IT SHOULD BE SEALED OR POTTED TO ELIMINATE SHORTS AND FAILURE. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS MODULE UNDER THE HEATER CORE WAS WRONG, I NOTIFIED FORD AND THEY ONLY APOLIGIZED FOR THE HEATER CORE LEAK, THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEGE ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIR BAG MODULE, I AGAIN NOTIFIED THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT ON THIS ITEM, SINCE THE DESIGN HAD BEEN CHANGED, THEY HAVE NOT REPLIED TO THIS IN OVER A WEEK, STATING IT WOULD ONLY TAKE 3 DAYS FOR A REPLY. TO ME THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, I HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST UNDER FDA GUIDELINES IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY WITH REPORTING AND I DO NOT LIKE THE WAY THIS IS BEING HANDLED BY FORD, THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THEY ARE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING, A PERSONS LIFE OR PERSONAL INJURY IS NOT SOMETHING TO SWEEP UNDER THE RUG, ALTHOUGH NO ONE IN MY FAMILY SUSTAINED ANY INJURY, THEY COULD HAVE, I WILL NOW TRY TO SELL THIS CAR AS SOON AS I AM ABLE. THANK YOU JEFFREY L PLUNK