1994 Mercury Tracer

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MERCURY TRACER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONTACT STRUCK A POLE HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAULTY AND HAD BEEN REPAIRED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 94V218000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALER AND THEY ARE CHARGING $300 JUST TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND $5,400 FOR THE REPAIR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD BLINKS 3-2 WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS DONE THIS SINCE THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES PER YEAR WITH THE BLINKING LIGHT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT CORTESE EITHER COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. IT DOES COME AND GO. IT IS MORE ON THAN OFF. THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED TWICE. THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN WHILE THE LIGHT WAS BLINKING AND NOT TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I DID THAT. IT WAS CONFIRMED YES THE LIGHT BLINKS 3-2. I LEFT THE CAR FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK IN JULY OF 2001. ON THE WAY HOME FROM CORTESE AFTER THE CAR WAS "REPAIRED" THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK ON THE WAY HOME. I AM GETTING THE RUN AROUND ABOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM. THE FACTORY WAS CONTACTED 3 YEARS AGO WHEN I SENT MY FATHER TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT CORTESE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURES OVER THIS SUMMER TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM IN AUGUST DUE TO NEEDING A PART. NOW I AM BEING MET WITH IT IS OUT OF WARRENTY. I HAD A 7/70K WARENTY WHICH DOES EXPIRE NOVEBEROF THIS YEARSINCE THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW.. SINCE THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING SAFTEY ISSUE , I THINK I HAVE BEEN OVERLY PATIENT WITH RECTIFYING THIS DEFECT. I CALLED THE NYS ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE. THE LEMON LAW DOES NOT APPLY AS THE CAR IN NOW MORE THAN 4 YEARS OLD. I WAS REFERED TO YOUR ORGANIZATION. HELP!!!!!!*AK