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  Defect Investigation of Burn Injuries Due To Air Bag Deployment

Investigation of Burn Injuries Due To Air Bag Deployment

Subject: Burn injuries due to air bag deployment
Components covered:
  • Air bags
Investigations Summary: This investigation was opened on Aug. 16, 2002. It was closed on Aug. 15, 2003. All of the consumer complaints allege an incident in which deployment of the driver frontal air bag caused some type of burn injury. Most of these injuries are due to contact and/or abrasion with the air bag and are of relatively minor to moderate severity. It is possible that some drivers may have sustained burn injuries to the skin as a result of hot gases exhausting from the vents of the air bags in the subject vehicles, but the number of such incidents appears to be low. Further details of the investigation are contained in subsequent pages of this report. Based on the above, further expenditure of agency resources on this investigation does not appear to be warranted. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency may take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Vehicles Affected by this investigation:
  • 2000 Ford Focus
  • 2001 Ford Focus

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