Side air bags did not go off after hit in drivers door.

- New Hyde Park, NY, USA

My 2005 Mercury Mariner was in a serious collision with a deer on the driver's side. Over $5000 of damage was done to the vehicle. The side curtain air bags did not deploy in the collision. I was traveling at 55 mph and the deer's running speed caused a violent impact. The deer made direct contact with my head, neck, and shoulder, and the absence of the protection of the airbag allowed the glass to be driven directly into my body by the force of the contact. I suffered only minor bruising and a multitude of glass schrapnel cuts on the scalp, face, and arms, which quickly healed. I am not able to get an answer either from Ford Lincoln Mercury or the local dealer as to why the side curtain airbag did not deploy. I have had three separate contacts with Ford Lincoln Mercury by E-mail, letter, and telephone with no satisfaction. This week the vehicle was taken back to the dealership, where it was reported to me that all sensors were checked and found to be completely functional. When I obtained the dealer's work order, it clearly states that they checked the right side sensors (passenger side), when the collision occurred on the left (driver's) side. I believe that a manufacturing defect caused the side curtain to fail to deploy, and now have no confidence that the extra protection that I purchased would protect me in any future collision of the same type. I feel that I have exhausted all of my options through the manufacturer as well as the dealer, and still have not had a valid answer to my question about the safety of the vehicle.

- Felton, PA, USA