Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2013 | 3 | 3% | 121,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 2% | 113,000 miles |
| 2011 | 4 | 2% | 89,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 1% | 45,000 miles |
| 2008 | 5 | 3% | 92,000 miles |
| 2007 | 1 | 2% | 226,000 miles |
| 2006 | 5 | 2% | 55,000 miles |
| 2004 | 4 | 3% | 9,000 miles |
| 2003 | 2 | 2% | 346,000 miles |
| 2002 | 7 | 4% | 64,000 miles |
| 2001 | 9 | 4% | 47,000 miles |
| 2000 | 15 | 5% | — |
| 1999 | 40 | 7% | 67,000 miles |
| 1998 | 3 | 5% | — |
| 1997 | 7 | 2% | 278,000 miles |
| 1995 | 4 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Component/System: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) - frontal airbags and crash sensors. Vehicle is in insurance/salvage custody and available for inspection upon request. On or about December 17, 2025, at approximately 0600, the reporting party was operating a 2013 Ford Super Duty F-250 Lariat Crew Cab 4WD (VIN [redacted] ) at an estimated speed of approximately 35 mph. Due to fog and wet roadway conditions, the vehicle left the roadway and struck a fixed object (tree). The collision resulted in severe front-end damage, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. Despite the severity of the impact, no airbags deployed. The vehicle has been inspected by law enforcement and insurance representatives. The condition has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or manufacturer. No SRS or airbag warning lamps or messages were observed prior to the collision. …
Driver and passenger front air bags did not deploy. Side air bags did deploy. Was hit front passenger side by ford explorer. Then hit by dodge truck head on. Then stuck by dodge truck on passenger side behind back door.
Front Air Bag light is on. Rather than taking it to a Ford Dealership to diagnose issue and charging me an arm and leg telling me the vehicle is out of warranty as in the past I wanted to report this and request direction from you as to what is my next step??? Can you assist me?
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-250. The contact stated that after parking and exiting the vehicle, an alarm sounded, and the front driver's side air bag deployed simultaneously without impact. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to another destination. The contact stated that after parking and exiting the vehicle, an alarm sounded, and the driver's side curtain air bags deployed simultaneously without impact. The contact stated that the two failures occurred within 10 minutes. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for the repairs. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
I was recently hit in the drivers door causing the door, the cab, and the running board to be damaged. The side impact air bag did not deploy. the entire drivers door is damaged and the cab of the truck behind the door is damaged. the running board was completely under the cab of the truck.
Clock spring frayed and uncoiled. Unknown steering issue till clockspring checked. Airbag inflator is unoperational. Current clockspring recall for Ford does not cover this vehicle. Widen your recall. Most owners would believe it to be a power steering issue with pump and fluid, like we did.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Ford f-250. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, got hit by an eighteen wheeler that ran a stop sign, striking the driver side. None of the air bags deployed. The police was present and a report number: 88163534 was filed. The contact was taken to the hospital by ambulance, treated and released. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic. The vehicle was towed to a private residence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 230,000.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Ford f-250. While driving between 40-45 MPH in rainy conditions, the contact's vehicle struck an opposing vehicle on the driver's side. The frontal air bags failed to deploy, but the contact was uninjured. The police was called to the scene and filed a report. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer and repaired. On April 10, 2009, the master cylinder failed and the contact crashed into two other vehicles. The air bags failed to deploy again. The driver was uninjured, but his vehicle sustained severe body damage. The vehicle was towed to a collision center after being towed to his residence. However, the other two vehicles were completely destroyed the occupants were injured. The vehicle is in the process of being inspected and repaired. The cause of the air bag failures has not been determined. The VIN was unknown. …
Related recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the driver air bag module May not have been properly assembled.
Remedy: Dealers will replace your driver air bag module free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2007. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. The inflator canister in the driver air bag module May have an inadequate weld near the igniter.
Remedy: Dealers will install a driver air bag module. Owner notification began March 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Vehicle description: light duty trucks. The cast tow hooks changes the crash pulse of the vehicle in frontal barrier impacts and the air bag sensor was not calibrated to this new crash pulse which May cause the air bags to deploy in lower speed impacts than design intent.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cast tow hooks with forged hooks.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-250 years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (40), 2000 (15), 2001 (9), 1997 (7) and 2002 (7) model years. Airbag complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Ford F-250 airbag problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 07V-541 (inflator module, Nov 21, 2007); 01V-082 (frontal, Mar 12, 2001); 98V-303 (sensor/control module-inactive, Dec 1, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford F-250 airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (67 mentions), followed by the side/window (3).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.