NHTSA complaint: 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX — WHEELS
THIS IS IN RELATION TO WHAT I'VE SEEN IN A FEW CRASH IIHS CRASH VIDEOS. I WAS HIT ON THE LEFT SIDE, WITH THE IMPACT RANGE FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO THE OUTSIDE MIRROR. I WAS BEGINNING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN I WAS STRUCK. THE IMPACT ON THE STEER TIRE CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SPIN QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT AS IT ABSORBED THE ENERGY FROM THE COLLISION. THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED SO VIOLENTLY RIGHTWARD FROM THE FORCE OF THE VEHICLE HITTING IT, THAT I ENDED UP WITH A FRACTURED RIGHT ELBOW AND TORN LIGAMENTS IN MY RIGHT HAND - INJURIES SUSTAINED FROM A COLLISION ON THE LEFT. I HAVE SEEN THE SAME THING IN A FEW IIHS CRASH TEST VIDEOS. IN A FEW OF THEIR VIDEOS, THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTS SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT SO THERE ENDS UP BEING NO CONTACT BETWEEN THE DUMMY'S HEAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NHTSA AND THE IIHS, OR TO WHAT STANDARDS ARE SET, AS I'VE SEEN SOME TRULY DISTURBING IIHS VIDEOS ON BRAND NEW CARS; DISTURBING ENOUGH THAT I'M SURPRISED THAT THE VEHICLE IS LET INTO THE MARKET. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS. MY RIGHT SIDE INJURIES SEEMED VERY STRANGE UNTIL SEEING SOME OF THE IIHS VIDEOS IN SLOW MOTION THAT EXPLAINED HOW THIS HAPPENED. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation