2004 Mercury Sable Air Bags & Restraints Problems

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS STARTED COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING ON A CITY STREET. I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT IT APPEARS TO BE A CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES , VERY LOW FOR A 2004 VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL OF ANY KIND ON THIS CAR. I AM A RETIRED SENIOR CITIZEN AND THIS IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION.

THE DRIVER SIDE, THREE POINT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY COMES UNLATCHED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS IS EVEN AFTER THE BELT TONGUE IS IN PLACE, YOU HEAR A CLICK FROM THE LATCH CLOSING AND LOCKING AND THE BELT HAS BEEN PULLED ON TO TEST THE CONNECTION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AND THE ATTENDANT SAID THAT THE SEAT BELT LATCH WAS LIKELY NOT WORKING DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 200,000 MILES AND IS VERY MUCH STILL DRIVABLE. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO CHARGE THE VEHICLE OWNER OVER $300.00 FOR THE REPAIR AND WILL NOT REPAIR WITHOUT PAYMENT. THE SEAT BELTS SHOULD BE GUARANTEED TO WORK PROPERLY OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT AN EXPENSIVE FIX AS VERY FEW PEOPLE DRIVE THEIR CARS OVER 120,000 MILES AS IS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERNAL STEEL CABLE OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT FRACTURED AND RESULTED IN THE SEAT BELT BECOMING INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 107,000.

SIDE IMPACT ON A 2004 SABLE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES INCLUDING SCAPULA FRACTURE AND PNEUMOTHORAX, PNEUMOMEDIASTINUM AND SUBCUANEOUS AIR TRACKING, ALONG WITH HEAD WOUNDS/LACERATIONS. PATIENT REQUIRED ICU AND MULTIPLE CT SCANS ALONG WITH X-RAYS. PASSENGER AIRBAG ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY TO PASSENGER FROM SEAT BELT AND BOUNCE-BACK FROM HITTING THE DOOR SECONDARY TO AIRBAG FAILURE TO DEPLOY.*AK