My son and I were driving a 2001 Lincoln Town car on flat smooth wet road when the passenger side airbag deployed for no apparent reason. My son received slight abrasions to his right cheek and right arm.

- Backus, MN, USA

I was driving 1-16 West, going speed limit (70) with cruise control when I heard a loud explosion in my left ear (I thought I had been shot), I was so stunned for a moment I didn't realize what had happened, but I turned my head slightly to the left and realized the air bag in my back rest had blown up. Smoke was pouring out of it and I thought my car was on fire. The air bag slammed into the left side of my face, neck & shoulder. I was traumatized the rest of the day.

- Savannah, GA, USA

While my father was driving down the road at highway speed the passenger front side airbag deployed with no warning or impact. The deployment of the airbag at highway speeds without a crash or impact startled the driver which caused him to cross into the lane next to him. This could have been serious had another car been beside of him. Serious injury or even death could be caused if the conditions are right.

- La Grange, NC, USA

Comments: Our 2001 Lincoln Town car's drivers side curtain air bag deployed unintended on August 18th, at 7:00 pm while we were driving on a highway. There was no accident, no primary or secondary impact, no debris on the road, no potholes, no logs, rocks, trees, cows, or other debris frequently attributed to an unintended deployment. The Ford dealership service manager states that there is an impact mark under the body directly under the air-bag sensor but we were driving on a paved roadway and nothing on the road, and nothing around to "run over". if anything had been run over previously, the airbag should have deployed then, and not waited for an undetermined period of time. The reaction to the deployment had us in the right side shoulder/drainage ditch as we assumed we had been hit by another automobile (none in sight). A quick external examination of the auto showed no impact. We had the car in the dealership recently to have an airbag wiring harness replacement to stop a blinking airbag light, this repair billed to our extended warranty company (?). the current repairs are almost $900, which we are having to pay ourselves, for something which should be a Ford safety issue. The car should be returned to us early this week (August 28-Sept-1). We have no issue about the warranty as the car has 76,000 miles, but this is a safety related situation that could have potentially caused a serious accident had there been another vehicle along side us at the time of the deployment. We feel that Lincoln/Ford should cover the cost of repairing the deployed air-bag. My cell number is 512-669-2244. Franz hofmann.

- Lockhart, TX, USA

The contact stated while driving on a smooth highway the driver's side air bag deployed. There was no accident to cause the air bag to deploy. There were minor injuries. The dealer could offer no free remedy because the car had over 100,000 miles on it. The manufacturer agreed with the dealer. The deployment of the ear bag caused damage/hearing loss to the consumer ears.

- Hackettstown, NJ, USA

While driving on a gravel road at approximately 10 mph, airbag from the side of front passenger seat deployed. There was no warning. We heard a loud explosion, followed by smoke and a foul odor. My daughter, who was sitting in the seat was screaming in pain. I immediately stopped the car and exited the vehicle to attend to her injuries. At first we thought she had been shot. She had burns, cuts, and bruising on her back and right side. We both had trouble breathing. We found a police officer and he told us to seek medical attention. Which we did. We contacted Lincoln/Ford while on our way to the emergency room. We were directed from a recording to contact local dealership with any complaints. We contacted the cavenaugh Lincoln dealership in jonesboro, Arkansas. We were told that there was nothing to prove that this was a defect that there was a problem in the sensor and that it would cost around $2,000 for parts and labor. They even noted on the work order that I thought there was some kind on factory defect and I wanted them to verify or deny this. They in return charged me $103 for estimate they made of the repairs. To this date we are still working with our insurance company to see what kind if any changes or repairs the motor company are willing to make.

- Jonesboro, AR, USA

The contact owns a 2001 Lincoln Town car. While driving the passenger side air bags deployed with out an accident. She took vehicle to the dealership, and they noticed scrap marks under the car, and said that was the cause of air bag deploying. But she did not hit anything and she cannot understand how that would make the air bags deploy.

- Louisville, KY, USA

Without warning the passenger's side air bag deployed. She was just driving at normal speed and in clear weather. Dealer and manufacturer said that the car was too old, and they will not do anything about it.

- York, SC, USA

The consumer was driving off an exit ramp between 35-40 mph when the side air bag deployed. The manufacturer refused to replace the air bag

- Greer, SC, USA

While I was driving our 2001 Lincoln Town car South on I95 North of baltimore, the left front tire passed over a piece of debris which triggered only the driver's side air bag. Fortunately, I didn't loose control. However, I appear to have sustained some "moderate, permanent" hearing loss in my left ear between 250-1800 hertz. I have been under a doctor's care since the event and have taken 5 hearing tests without any signs of healing of the inner ear. Local Lincoln dealers indicate that they are not authorized to do the repairs under the warrenty guidelines and refused to fix the air bag/seat even though the car is still under factory warrenty. They directed me to my insurance (geico).I asked them about having them read out the "black box" hidden analog and pre-even data-they responded that they do not have the software to read this data. Independent companies quote $300 to read out the pre-event data in the Washington DC area. I have yet to have the repairs done -which are being covered by geico. I am very concerned about a dealer's inability to assure me that the system is not defective after the repair. I am aware of the ODI efforts/analysis related to the tendency of this to happen with this model (before Ford modified the sensor location and software in later productions) and I would like to discuss ODI's approach in evaluating that this car has no know safety defects in spite of the large number of non-side accidents triggering the side air bag.

- Silver Spring, MD, USA

The side air bags deployed inadvertently and with no impact.

- Okemah, OK, USA

While driving 70 mph driver's side air bags deployed unexpectedly. The door panel, where airbag deployed, ripped the seat. Consumer drove vehicle to dealer for analysis, and dealer did not replace the seat.

- Los Lunas, NM, USA

While driving 15-18 mph the passenger side door air bag deployed without impact or cause. Both the manufacturer and dealer were contacted. Please provide any additional information.

- Columbus, OH, USA

While driving 75mph, vehicle ran over a peice of tire debris in the road. Rubber hit something under vehicle which caused driver's side airbag to deploy and cause damage to panel of vehicle. Manufacturer says it's driver fault.

- Frisco, TX, USA

While driving passenger's side airbag deployed without warning. Vehicle had no crash. Took vehicle to dealer, and had it repaired.

- Penrose, NC, USA

Front driver's side airbag suddenly deployed without prior warning while driving down the street. Dealer has been contatced. The side air bag pushed the drivers left upper arm forward causing the car to move to the right and over a curb and onto a sidewalk, the drivers left upper arm was bruised for 10 days.

- Holdrege, NE, USA

While driving passenger's side airbag deployed and injured passenger. Consumer stated that if it had been on driver's side, and consumer was on highway, consumer would have been knocked from steering wheel.that may have been a life threatening situation. Consumer took vehicle to dealer, and dealer stated that consumer ran over something on the road that triggered sensors for side airbag. Vehicle hit nothing. This was second Town car that that consumer has experienced a life threatening situation. Vehicle pulls to the left. Trunk would not close properly due to it being out of adjustment.

- Ashdown, AR, USA