← NHTSA complaints

2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

crash1 injured · 1147532 · 2015-01-13

Vehicle

Make
JEEP
Model
GRAND CHEROKEE
Year
2011
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
Miles at failure
43,805
Speed
10 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
Yes
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

ON DECEMBER 26, 2014 I WAS REAR ENDED IN MY 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO MY ROAD. I WAS SLOWED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH OR LESS AS I WAS TURNING AND GOT HIT BY A LARGE PICK-UP TRUCK. FIRST OF ALL, I AM HAPPY THAT MY JEEP TOLERATED THE FORCE FROM THE REAR END COLLISION AS WELL AS IT DID, AND IT EVEN TOOK BOUNCING OFF A GUIDE RAIL PRETTY WELL TOO; HOWEVER, THE SAFETY FEATURE IN THE HEADREST IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. SINCE I HAD NO FRONT OR SIDE IMPACT, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG IN THE HEADREST MADE THE HEADREST SLAM MY HEAD FORWARD CAUSING WHIPLASH AND A NECK INJURY. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFETY FEATURE; HOWEVER, IT CAUSED ME MORE INJURY. I WAS NEVER AWARE THAT MY CAR HAD THIS FEATURE. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I DECIDED TO LOOK IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THERE REGARDING THE HEADRESTS. IT ONLY MENTIONS THE FRONT AIRBAGS, CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND SEAT AIRBAGS. MY INSURANCE ADJUSTOR WASN'T EVEN FAMILIAR WITH THIS FEATURE WHEN HE CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE AIRBAG IN THE HEADREST AND THE INJURY THAT IT COULD CAUSE, I WOULD HAVE HAD THE HEADRESTS REMOVED FROM MY CAR AND REPLACED THEM WITH STANDARD HEADRESTS! SINCE THE ACCIDENT, I AM DEALING WITH HEADACHES AND AM GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR MY NECK INJURY. I SERIOUSLY HOPE NO ONE ELSE SUFFERS FROM THIS "SAFETY FEATURE" THAT I WASN'T EVEN MADE AWARE OF AS THE OWNER. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10672318
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown