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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
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 Way, way OT -- Air Bags		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts
Initially Posted - 08/01/2009 :  09:13:16  Show Profile
My daughter totaled my wife's car a couple of days ago. Thankfully, she got away with only a few bumps, bruises and a destroyed laptop computer. It didn't survive flying, in its padded case, from the seat into the dashboard.

My question for this knowledgable body is this: Anybody have any idea why the passenger side airbag on my wife's Mercury Sable LS/Platinum Edition deployed while the one that should have protected my driving daughter did not? The Highway Patrol Trooper sliced open the cover on the steering wheel to confirm that it was indeed present. The impact was certainly hard enough since when she decelerated against the steering wheel, the bolts holding the steering column together at a junction under the dashboard sheered from the impact allowing the steering column to collapse. I assume that to be by design.

The loss of the car is unfortunate since our employment status will not allow quite so much luxury in a replacement. However, thankfully, my daughter is fine and I'm sure she will have other opportunities to turn my hair gray(er).
John Russell
1999 C250 SR/WK #410
Bay Village, Ohio
Sailing Lake Erie
Don't Postpone Joy!
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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts
Response Posted - 08/01/2009 :  10:07:31  Show Profile
Glad to hear that your daughter is okay. Indeed a scary situation. Car can be replaced, she cannot! I can only assume the driver side airbag deployment mechanism was somehow defective.
Perhaps your insurance company, or dealer, can find another Sable LS for you on the used market. Check Ebay.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 08/01/2009 :  10:19:49  Show Profile
I'm suspicious some wires were crossed. Each of the two front airbags are wired to a sensor in the seat so that a certain amount of weight (more than a small child) is required before it will deploy. My suspicion should be easy to confirm, and should be reported to Ford and the NHTSA.

I too am glad it didn't turn out to be a huge problem!
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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts
Response Posted - 08/01/2009 :  19:58:18  Show Profile
We worry much about our daughter when she is out...thankfully your daughter came away OK.
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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts
Response Posted - 08/01/2009 :  20:38:05  Show Profile
Thank goodness your daughter is OK. I bet she was pretty shaken up as were her parents. This sort of thing really reminds us of what is important in life.
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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts
Response Posted - 08/01/2009 :  21:00:27  Show Profile  Visit delliottg's Homepage
John,
I've got no insight on airbags, but we're both glad to hear your daughter's OK.

I'm with Dave, I'd report it to Ford, might have been a faulty sensor, a crossed wire, any number of things.
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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts
Response Posted - 08/02/2009 :  09:39:27  Show Profile
Thanks, guys. I'l give Ford a call tomorrow. As a strange coincidence, the airbag warning light on my Ranger pickup started flashing yesterday when I switched off the passenger side bage so my younger daughter could go somewhere with me.
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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts
Response Posted - 08/02/2009 :  10:27:45  Show Profile
As suggested, you may want to also let the NHTSA know. They would have much more influence on ford than we can. It sure sounds like a crossed wire somewhere. There was a report of a 2002 Sable that had the same problem as yours but it seems to dead end. The complaint was 10254087.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.