Problems · by component

1999 Ford Explorer air bags problems

106 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford Explorer cite air bags, 7% of all 1,465 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
106
7% of all complaints
Crashes
34
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHILE DRIVING ALONG A MAIN STREET I WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT RIGHT PORTION OF THE VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT THEREFORE, MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND AS A RESULT MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSE A BROKEN JAW AND CRACKED TEETH VEHICLE WAS MOVING FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 14, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10972368
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED VARIOUS INJURIES TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 193,338.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2017Air bagsODI 10954298
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL ENGAGED, A PUFF OF SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,200.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2016Steering, Air bagsODI 10873567
“OUR AIR BAG LIGHT WENT TOTALLY OUT AND THEN THEIRS A BEEPING SOUND AND WHEN WE WENT TO GET CAR INSPECTED, IT FAILED INSPECTION AS THE AIRBAG LIGHT DIDNT COME ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 8, 2015Air bagsODI 10780748
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 7 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO NECK, THE BACK, AND HEAD. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10654782
“THIS WAS DOING IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT THE SRS LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING AND BUZZING WHY IS IT DOING THIS REPLACE THE BULB THE BUZZING STOPS BUT LIGHT IS STILL ON. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2014Air bagsODI 10648559

Showing 6 of 106 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.