NHTSA complaint: 2006 CHEVROLET HHR — STEERING
ON MY WAY TO WORK I SLOWED DOWN TO CHANGE LANES TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN TO A PARKING LOT. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A MAJOR JOLT AND MY FOOT WAS KNOCKED OFF THE GAS PEDAL. THE LAST THING I REMEMBER WAS LOOKING DOWN AT MY RIGHT FOOT AND SEEING IT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THINKING I NEED TO MOVE MY FOOT. I REMEMBER THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR A MOMENT WHEN I ASKED THEM NOT TO CUT MY CLOTHES. MY NEXT MEMORY IS FOR A MOMENT IN ICU AND THEN I WOKE UP IN A HOSPITAL ROOM A WEEK LATER. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE CAR CROSSED THE TWO WESTBOUND LANES AND HIT A SIGN AND FENCE, JUMPED THE CURB, AND THEN HIT SHRUBBERY AND SEVERAL HEADSTONES AT A MEMORIAL SALES BUSINESS. POLICE ESTIMATED MY SPEED AT 50 MPH? I THINK THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. POSSIBLY THE IGNITION SHUT DOWN CAUSING THE JOLT AND DEPLOYMENT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I WAS DISABLED IN THIS ACCIDENT. I AM UNABLE TO RETURN TO WORK. ACCORDING TO GM I AM NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A SETTLEMENT BECAUSE MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED. WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE IF THE IGNITION CAUSED THE ACCIDENT? *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation