ON NOVEMBER 11, 2013, WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING A 2001 FORD ESCAPE AT NIGHT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 5 IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE FRONT SIDE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVERS SIDE (BUILT INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACKREST) SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED, FRIGHTENING AND NEARLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD NOT HIT A POT HOLE OR ANY OTHER OBJECT THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG HIT THE DRIVERS ARM, CAUSING RED MARKS THAT LASTED A DAY, BUT FORTUNATELY NO LASTING INJURY. AFTER PULLING THE CAR OVER AND FINDING NO OTHER DAMAGE (BESIDES THE RIPPED-OUT SIDE OF THE BACKREST WITH THE DEFLATED AIRBAG) THAT WOULD AFFECT OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DRIVEN HOME APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES. THE INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, ON 11/14, WAS DRIVEN TO JIM WILSON FORD IN YREKA, CA TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND COST OF REPAIR. THE DEALER SAID THAT TWO OR THREE MALFUNCTIONS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, BUT THEY COULDN'T PIN DOWN THE CAUSE. COST OF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED TO BE $2,043. AS OF TODAY (11/21/13), THE AIRBAG HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, THINKING THAT MORE INVESTIGATION MIGHT BE PROPOSED FOR THE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS AND EVEN DEADLY DEFECT. *TR