wait for passenger side airbag?


twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,059
Las Vegas, NV
Anyone out there get a new airbag recall? Had both done in jan 2017. New recall received today? Wtf?

There were two drivers side recalls. The first was a "temporary" fix that replaced the failing inflator with the same unit. Since the failure is time related (humidity causes degradation, but it takes a while) thus giving time for the permanent fix. The second recall is the permanent fix. There is only one passenger side replacement but those parts are still not available (for Ford, my Dodge truck passenger side unit came in so I got both sides replaced yesterday). All manufacturers were focusing on getting driver side replacement parts from all of the manufacturers before beginning the passenger side units. The fact that some manufacturers have started passenger side is a sign that those should now start flowing, but which manufacturers will get them and when, and then how those manufacturers will apportion them to their fleets is not known.

PS. I got another "you're going to die" letter from Ford on my driver's side in the mail today. I'll wait for both.
 
Last edited:

RPM217

2005 white/blue stripe
Jun 18, 2010
1,658
Rye Brook, New York
Just got another "urgent" recall notice, via email from Ford, for the driver's side. I called to see if the passenger side is available yet, as I want to bring the car in 1x only, and the answer is, they have no idea, when it will be available. So...................................I continue to wait, and "gamble"!!
 

junior

GT Owner
Mar 9, 2007
1,151
So Cal
Same here, wait and gamble. Takata Engineering at its best. I wish they lock up these guys.
 

nautoncall

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 6, 2014
1,093
I'm waiting for when both are available.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
Waiting for both here too
 

Tomcat

GT Owner
Waiting for both here too

ditto
 

JOEA2

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 16, 2007
352
STATEN ISLAND,NY/SEA GIRT,NJ
What I don't understand is that it is the Inflator, not the Bag, so why are they different?

Joe
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,088
MA
The bag is just that a fabric bag. The inflator is what goes "boom" to fill the bag. The inflator is bolted to the bag. They are separate pieces.

What I don't understand is that it is the Inflator, not the Bag, so why are they different?

Joe
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,088
MA
Update, I've been told that the permanent passenger side inflator is still predicted for a Q4 arrival.
 

timcantwell

Le Mans 2010 Sponsor * Moderator
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 22, 2006
2,634
N.E. OH & Naples, FL
I am waiting for the passenger side part and will have both done at the same time. My car has always been in a climate controlled garage (1st owner) or "desert" (me) so the humidity effect is minimal.

My dealer says late summer for the passenger side part.

By the way, the driver side was a two-step fix - first was essentially the same unit which would be predicted to fail in the same way but reset the clock for the effects of the environment. I have not heard that the passenger side is anything other than a one-stop fix.

I am waiting to do both at the same time, my dealer told me last Fall I would have the passenger, now no ETA.
 

NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,215
Michigan
Also, don't think you are getting a new complete air bag with a new emblem on the driver's side. all they do is take it out and replace the inner inflator and then put it back together in your old bag. I had the first recall done on the L.H. side and that's all they did. same thing on a Ranger I had. they took the passenger side air bag apart and just replaced the inflator and re-installed the assembly.
 

JOEA2

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 16, 2007
352
STATEN ISLAND,NY/SEA GIRT,NJ
The bag is just that a fabric bag. The inflator is what goes "boom" to fill the bag. The inflator is bolted to the bag. They are separate pieces.

The "Bag" might change from right to left, but the Inflator should be the same? What am I missing?

Joe
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,059
Las Vegas, NV
The "Bag" might change from right to left, but the Inflator should be the same? What am I missing?

Joe

They are not the same "puck". Look at the pictures in reply 13.
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
What am I missing?

Missing that the driver bag is in the steering wheel, close to the driver body, and is a smaller bag than the passengers, which is much farther away from the body and is much larger. To fill the passenger bag at the same speed as the driver, much more gas is required over a much wider area. Therefore, different inflators.

I don't see any logic in waiting to get the driver inflator replaced until the passenger inflator is available, which could be a long time yet. It's kind of like a prolonged game of Russian roulette.

The driver inflator is so easy to replace, with a bit of arrangement with your dealer, you could be in and out in 15 minutes.

Why anyone would risk this proven life threatening safety issue for the sake of convenience is beyond me.

Of course, if you don't drive your GTs, that's different, but not driving is also beyond me.
 
Last edited:

NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,215
Michigan
Missing that the driver bag is in the steering wheel, close to the driver body, and is a smaller bag than the passengers, which is much farther away from the body and is much larger. To fill the passenger bag at the same speed as the driver, much more gas is required over a much wider area. Therefore, different inflators.

I don't see any logic in waiting to get the driver inflator replaced until the passenger inflator is available, which could be a long time yet. It's kind of like a prolonged game of Russian roulette.

The driver inflator is so easy to replace, with a bit of arrangement with your dealer, you could be in and out in 15 minutes.

Why anyone would risk this proven life threatening safety issue for the sake of convenience is beyond me.

+1
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,059
Las Vegas, NV
It sort of depends on where you live. Humid areas are at much higher risk for a failed unit. Both of my truck inflators were "clean", ie no sign of corrosion, but both the truck and the GT grew up in the desert.
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,059
Las Vegas, NV
Early on the letters said that the dealer would make a house call for Ford GTs. Did anyone get that service? Is it still offered?
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
It sort of depends on where you live. Humid areas are at much higher risk for a failed unit. Both of my truck inflators were "clean", ie no sign of corrosion, but both the truck and the GT grew up in the desert.

Lack of corrosion on the can surface is not an indicator of the condition of the propellant.

The problem is not that the can fails and shatters due to corrosion. The problem is that the propellant changes chemical composition and explodes rather than smoothly burning (analogous to ignition detonation), which may cause even a can in perfect condition to explode into shrapnel.

My Florida car can showed no corrosion. Was it safe? Who knows? And who wants to find out?
 
Last edited:

NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,215
Michigan
Let's not forget the guy who hit a cow with his Ford Ranger. air bag went off and shrapnel sliced the artery is his neck which he died a short time later.
just sayin, you never know for sure
 

junior

GT Owner
Mar 9, 2007
1,151
So Cal
Early on the letters said that the dealer would make a house call for Ford GTs. Did anyone get that service? Is it still offered?

For house calls it's Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 14B09-
I spoke with my local Ford dealer service director and he said he'll honor it. I told him there is a group of 5 GTs from the local areas and if all can be done on the same day, he said no problem. I already provided him with all corresponding VINs. He even offered to be present with the tech at my house during the install (I was surprised at this high level of service since they've stunk when I was negotiating the GT350 purchase). In any case, I am going to schedule the driver side for now (after reading post 34 here :biggrin) and not wait for the passenger side inflator to become available. I hope they don't break something else during the inflator swap (like the quarter size plastic screw cover piece around the steering wheel, apparently it's laced in gold given its ridiculous replacement cost).