NHTSA complaint: 2013 FORD FUSION — AIR BAGS
I WAS INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT, IN WHICH I WAS FIRST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR AND THEN COLLIDED WITH A LAMP POST. THE INITIAL BLOW RENDERED MY VEHICLE WITHOUT BRAKE POWER AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS WEARING A SEATBELT. MY CAR HEADED TOWARD THE STREET LAMP. I TRIED TO PRESS MY BRAKE, BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A HEAD-ON WITH THE LIGHT POST. UNFORTUNATELY, I HIT THE POST AND IT BROKE (LATER A POLICEMAN PUSHED IT OVER AND IT FELL TO THE GROUND). THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED AT ABOUT 200 FEET AWAY FROM THE SITE OF THE ACCIDENT, AS I DROVE IT ONTO THE MEDIAN STRIP. MY CAR WAS DAMAGED ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT LOWER AREA AND THE RIGHT TIRE WAS PUSHED WAY BACK. THE SWAY BAR AND KNUCKLE BROKE, AMONG OTHER THINGS. THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR WAS UNABLE TO OPEN. AFTER ALL THESE REPAIRS WERE DONE, THEY COULDN'T START THE CAR BECAUSE THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN TOTAL, THESE REPAIRS TOOK MORE THAN TWO MONTHS TO COMPLETE. I SPOKE TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY WANTED TO INVESTIGATE THIS PARTICULAR CAR, AS IT OPERATED POORLY DURING THE ACCIDENT. THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED, AND SAID TO ALLOW GEICO TO HANDLE THINGS AND HAVE GEICO CALL THEM IF THEY FOUND ANYTHING AMISS. MY BACK WAS INJURED AND I CANNOT SAFELY LIFT MORE THAN 5 LBS AT A TIME. MY NEUROSURGEON ADVISED THAT I HAVE SURGERY SOON, OTHERWISE I RISK BECOMING PARALYZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN. I HAVE A THUMB INJURY AND THE ACCIDENT ALSO
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation