WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING MY CAR TO LURCH FORWARD INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE. VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL EXTERIOR/INTERIOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY CAR WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY HAVE EITHER CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, OR GONE OFF UNNECESSARILY AT TOO LOW A SPEED. ON THE VERY SAME DAY, A…
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WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING MY CAR TO LURCH FORWARD INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE. VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL EXTERIOR/INTERIOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY CAR WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY HAVE EITHER CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, OR GONE OFF UNNECESSARILY AT TOO LOW A SPEED. ON THE VERY SAME DAY, A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD MOTOR CO. ARRIVED IN THE MAIL INDICATING THAT THERE IS ALSO A DEFECT IN THE FILLER PIPE VENT HOSE OF MY VEHICLE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. DID THIS SOMEHOW CAUSE A MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG SENSORS? OR IS THERE A FUEL LINE IRREGULARITY THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE SUDDEN LURCHING FORWARD OF MY CAR? I HAD NOTICED IN THE WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, SOMEWHAT JERKY ACCELERATION OF MY CAR, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. ALSO, THERE IS EVIDENCE OF GASOLINE OR OIL HAVING LEAKED FROM CAR ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. MY HUSBAND AND I ONLY NOTICED THIS WHEN WE RETURNED HOME AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND OUR CAR WAS NOT PARKED IN ITS USUAL SPOT. I HOPE YOU CAN INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. I BELIEVE THAT IF AIRBAGS WERE TO GO OFF SPONTANEOUSLY AT A HIGHER SPEED, THEY WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSE A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES. ADDITIONALLY, IF ONE'S FOOT IS ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT NOT PLACED ON THE ACCELERATOR, SHOULD THE CAR LURCH OR SURGE FORWARD? I FEEL THAT THE TRAUMA AND SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG MAY HAVE CAUSED ME TO RECOIL AND RELEASE THE BRAKE, THEREBY CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AND MY CHILDREN AND I ONLY SUSTAINED MINOR PHYSICAL INJURIES.*AK
NHTSA ODI #741674
Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2000
Air BagsCrash
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #858153
Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 1999
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrash
VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON 20-JUL-99. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN THE INTERSECTION. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED SHOULD VEHICLE HAVE STOPPED. *AK
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. THE FUEL TANK VENT HOSE ALLOWS AIR TO VENT FROM THE FUEL TANK DURING REFUELING. CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE VENT HOSE. IF (1) THE FUEL TANK IS OVERFILLED, NOT ALLOWING EXCESS FUEL IN THE VENT HOSE TO FLOW BACK INTO THE TANK, (2) THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE AFTER REFUELING AND, (3) THERE IS SUBSEQUENTLY SIGNIFICANT HEATING OF THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL IN THE TANK CAN EXPAND INTO THE VENT HOSE AND LEAK FUEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES SUPPLIED BY GNB TECHNOLOGIES. THESE BATTERIES HAVE A DEFECTIVE NEGATIVE POST THAT CAN CAUSE ACID LEAKAGE AND RELATED CORROSION DAMAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE BATTERY WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ENGINE FIRE OR BATTERY EXPLOSION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE BATTERIES. UNTIL A NEW BATTERY IS OBTAINED, OWNERS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO "JUMP START" THESE BATTERIES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA00014 · Fuel Tank Vent Hose Leakage
Opened May 22, 2000 · Closed Jan 4, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
PERIODIC EXPOSURE TO LIQUID GASOLINE MAY RESULT IN EXTRACTION OF ANTIDEGRADANTS FROM THE SUBJECT FUEL TANK VENT HOSE.HOSES WHICH HAVE SUFFERED LOSS OF ANTIDEGRADANTS CAN DEVELOP CRACKS IN AREAS OF HIGH STRAIN.FUEL MAY SPRAY OR DRIP FROM CRACKED VENT HOSES FOLLOWING TANK FILL.STARTING AT JOB#1 1998 MY (CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS VEHICLES) AND JOB#1 1999 MY (FEDERAL EMISSIONS VEHICLES), THE SUBJECT VENT HOSE COMPOSITION CHANGED FROM NITRILE RUBBER HOSES WITH CHLOROPRENE RUBBER COVERS (NBR/CR) TO FLUOROCARBON RUBBER HOSES WITH AN OUTER LAYER BLEND OF NBR/PVC.THE CHANGES WERE MADE TO IMPROVE HYDRACARBON RESISTANCE FOR COMPLAINCE WITH NEW EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS REGULATIONS.THE MODIFIED HOSES ARE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY MORE RESISTANT TO DEGRADATION AND CRACKING.IN A LETTER DATED JANUARY 2, 2001, FORD NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE SUBJECT VENT HOSE IN AFFACTED VEHICLES.FORD WILL BEGIN NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ON OR ABOUT THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2001 TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO DEALERS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK VENT HOSE WITH THE LATEST DESIGN LEVER PART.
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