Side/window Air Bag problems of the 2003 Ford Explorer

All side airbags deployed without accident. Deployment happend while my wife and 4 year old son was in the vehicle driving approximately 30-40 miles per hour down a straight road in long valley new jersey. This road is smooth, level and free of pot holes etc. Unable to see because of the downed airbags and smokey dust like material from the airbags she pulled off the road as best she could.

The contact owned a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the passenger side air bag immediately deployed without warning. The contact stated that the powdery dust from the deployed air bag clouded his vision and caused the vehicle to rear end the preceding vehicle. The crash caused a chain reaction that involved four vehicles. A police report was filed. The contact sustained minor cuts and pains that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a tow yard, from where it was later picked retrieved by the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 73,700.

Traveling north bound on hiway 99 in chico CA, between exits 385 and 386, the side air bags deployed. This was in the middle of a construction zone but there was little in the way of debris on the road or bumps to have caused the air bag deployment. My head was violently thrown toward the center of the vehicle but I managed to maintain control and so there was no subsequent accident. I noted the little orange light glowing on the dash telling me the air bags had deployed. I suffered from a sore / stiff neck and a recurrence of major tenitis symptoms in my left ear. The local Ford dealer could not isolate the exact cause of the un-commanded air bag deployment and the matter is still with our auto insurance company.

I own a 2003 Ford Explorer XLT. I started my car up this mourning to go to work. I stepped out of the car to remove an empty cup when I heard a pop from insided my car. As I turned an looked I saw my car filled with smoke. As I went back to the car the passenger side air bag was deployed. There was no warning what so ever. If this would have happened when I was driving there is no telling what would have happened. This car is in very good shape. It has 130000 miles on it. I am afraid of this happening to the drivers side bag now as I have seen that this has happened before to this model.

While driving about 25 miles per hour on a straight road in excellent condition the side curtain airbags deployed in the vehicle. There was no braking or accelerating occuring at the time of the event. This was a 2003 Ford Explorer. 4 occupants were present in the vehicle including 2 toddlers.

I purchased a new 2003 Ford Explorer as a gift and I noticed several days later, that the passenger side air bag compartment had started a sinking , appearance in the compartment area that holds the air bag, it was questioned and I was told it was juat settling. As the sinking worsen, months down the road, I questioned it again, and was told the same thing again. Now the air bag compartment has started sinking badly and the compartment is now budging out to the point where you can put all your fingers under and in it. The bag can deploy at any time now. If this should happen all of a sudden and it will, it will cause a terrible accident, possible death if the sudden fright cause the driver to go out of control. My daughter said the air bag was beginning to frighten her and she again attempted to address the issue at the dealership service department in which the vehicle was purchased from, again she was told it was not covered under warranty, and that the cause seem to be elsewhere, yet in fact if the issue had been addressed when I first brought it to their attention,it would have been covered. I have contacted Ford corporation, awaiting a resolution to this problem. This is a very serious problem that needs to be taken care of immediately before an accident or death arises from this issue.

While driving consumer was involved in a frontal crash in which neither driver nor passenger side air bags deployed. Contact has been made with the dealer.

I have a 2003 Ford Explorer, on may 25, 2003 I was taking an elderly lady from a boarding home that I volunteer at, to the cemetary. I got her in the Explorer, turned the key on and the driver side air bag exploded, I never even got to put the car in gear or anything. . My husband (gordon shernan) talked with Ford motor company and because of the vehicle being over warranty, they weren't the least bit concerned. I would really like to know why one went off and not the other, and why it went off by just starting the vehicle. I feel this is really a safety issue,not only did it scare half the life out of both of us, but makes you worry every time you get in a car with air bags. If I had been driving on a road way, I certainly would have had an accident. I find it very lax on Ford motor company part that they are not concerned at all. Fortunately I walked away with just a sore chest, shoulder and stiff neck.