does FORD have the parts for both airbags available yet?

[Robert M]

When I had both sides done on my 2008 (see post above from early Dec. 2018), I stayed with the mechanic in the Ford shop while he did both sides, he a friend of our family.

The one thing he said that has happened on a couple of occasions, that he has heard about, is when the technician loosens the fasteners that hold the passenger side air bag in place and then attempts to push it out from behind (above the glove box) and remove it, the airbag will stick in place and then when the tech applies more pressure to remove it from the dash it pops out suddenly and because it is heavy it unexpectedly drops and the rear fasteners and inflator assy. scrape across the dash area below the air bag opening. <<<To fix this damage, he says the complete dash pad needs to be replaced. <<<Just an FYI for the non-Ford technicians who may be working on these air bags, or even an unknowing Ford technician.

R

Edited July 23, 2019 by Robert M

[venom]

Anyone in the Tampa/Bradenton FL area get their airbags done?  I'm tired of receiving the post cards but don't really trust any of the dealers down here.

[twobjshelbys]

You have no choice but to trust your dealer.  The driver side is a piece of cake and the passenger side on a Mustang is easy-peasy if you've done it before (I pulled my air bag/dash cover to get it signed by Shelby in about 15 minutes).

Some dealers were doing home service calls.  The home service was available for Ford GTs, but some dealers expanded the program to other vehicles especially if there was more than one to do...  But I seriously doubt with the virus lockdown that they will agree to anything but a dealer site service.

Edited April 24, 2020 by twobjshelbys

[Don Johnston]

I had my wife's 2011 Mustang and my 2011 GT350 done long ago, last year or longer.  I cannot imagine that your dealer has not had the parts and time to do it yet.  And I am way out in Hawaii.

[twobjshelbys]

10 hours ago, 66GT350PS said:

I had my wife's 2011 Mustang and my 2011 GT350 done long ago, last year or longer.  I cannot imagine that your dealer has not had the parts and time to do it yet.  And I am way out in Hawaii.

Dealers have parts, but people are afraid that the car will be damaged.  Yes, it happened so it's not unfounded, but now that the process has been going on so long almost everyone that does it has adequate "on the job" training. 

[mhr1961]

17 hours ago, venom said:

Anyone in the Tampa/Bradenton FL area get their airbags done?  I'm tired of receiving the post cards but don't really trust any of the dealers down here.

I used to live on the north side of Tampa . I always had my 2008 Shelby GT serviced at Parks Ford in Wesley Chapel and they were always careful with my car. They also have good reviews online. 

Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel

28739 State Road 54

Wesley Chapel, FL 33543

(833) 840-5070

[Don Johnston]

6 hours ago, twobjshelbys said:

Dealers have parts, but people are afraid that the car will be damaged.  Yes, it happened so it's not unfounded, but now that the process has been going on so long almost everyone that does it has adequate "on the job" training. 

If the mechanic designated at the dealership has been doing scores of these repairs on various model Mustang, he knows what he is doing.  I had no damage to either car at my dealership. I was concerned about the Shelby signature dash on the 2011 but not a scratch or misplaced clip anywhere.   I have had more reports of DIY mistakes, probably since it is the first and only time the person is doing the change.  For legal reasons, I always do TSB work by the dealer in case some bad happens from the repair, I have a recourse.  Suing g myself is not possible.😎

[twobjshelbys]

32 minutes ago, 66GT350PS said:

 For legal reasons, I always do TSB work by the dealer in case some bad happens from the repair, I have a recourse.  Suing g myself is not possible.😎

TSBs are different from Recalls which is the case of the air bags.  Only a Ford dealer can clear the recall from the federal  recall database.  He notes the installation of the recall parts in OASIS and OASIS uploads the installation to NHTSB.    That is why a dealer has to do it.  Some large dealers actually contracted with Ford trained service providers to do the work but at this stage most of them are probably finished. 

Worse yet are those that claim to have done the repair themselves.  Ford should not release the recall parts to private parties - two parties would be at risk should something happen.  The individual for a potentially botched install and the dealer for not performing the repair as per instructions.     (For Ford you can substitute Nissan, Toyota, Dodge, ad infinitum...)

Edited April 24, 2020 by twobjshelbys

[Don Johnston]

3 hours ago, twobjshelbys said:

TSBs are different from Recalls which is the case of the air bags.  Only a Ford dealer can clear the recall from the federal  recall database.  He notes the installation of the recall parts in OASIS and OASIS uploads the installation to NHTSB.    That is why a dealer has to do it.  Some large dealers actually contracted with Ford trained service providers to do the work but at this stage most of them are probably finished. 

Worse yet are those that claim to have done the repair themselves.  Ford should not release the recall parts to private parties - two parties would be at risk should something happen.  The individual for a potentially botched install and the dealer for not performing the repair as per instructions.     (For Ford you can substitute Nissan, Toyota, Dodge, ad infinitum...)

Thanks for the clarification.  Another problem with those wanting to do the jib themselves is that it would not be in the Ford recall data base to show that it had been done. No way to verify it.

[twobjshelbys]

Just now, 66GT350PS said:

Thanks for the clarification.  Another problem with those wanting to do the jib themselves is that it would not be in the Ford recall data base to show that it had been done. No way to verify it.

That is what I said, I thought.  Not only not in Ford's database but the federal recall database.    So owners will continue to get those pesky post cards practically forever.  And they'll be terminally confused when they say "but Joe said the recall was done, but the records must be mistaken"...

I can speak a little from personal experience about how this gets screwed up.   The original owner of my Ford GT had his mechanic go get the parts to update his cars.   I went to get mine done and the dealer and ford insisted it was already done.  I went back to my owner and asked him if his mechanic had updated his cars.  Yep.  Well, you used MY VIN.   That means two things.  First, my car is now screwed up and the car you think is clean, according to every record in existence, isn't.  It took an act of Ford Gods to get this fixed.  Owner and dealer had to contact regional service manager and he had to contact Ford mother ship.  It took three months.   THat was my reference to "Ford shouldn't give parts".  But they did (and do), and screw things up as a result.