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1997 HONDA CIVIC — AIR BAGS

crash1 injured · 1280167 · 2016-05-04

Vehicle

Make
HONDA
Model
CIVIC
Year
1997
Manufacturer
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Component
AIR BAGS
Miles at failure
181,040
Speed
35 mph

Severity

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

Narrative

TAKATA RECALL: ON 11/21/2012 MY SON WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF HIM ON A HWY WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 50 MPH. MY SON WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AND STEER TO AVOID THE COLLISION BUT STILL IMPACTED THE OTHER CAR'S LEFT REAR QUARTER-PANEL. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT, HIS AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. HE RECEIVED MAJOR FACIAL LACERATIONS AND FRACTURES IN ADDITION TO AN GAPING WOUND IN HIS WRIST. HE WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL ATTORNEYS THAT SINCE HIS CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE STATUTE OF REPOSE GATE OF 15 YR, HE COULD NOT HOPE TO BRING SUIT AGAINST HONDA/TAKATA. TO DATE, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY EFFORT TO EXTEND THE RECALL PRIOR TO 2002 FOR HONDA VEHICLES. WHEN THE EXTERNAL CAR DAMAGE IS COMPARED TO THE DAMAGE INSIDE HIS VEHICLE, HIS EXTENSIVE INJURIES, AND IMAGES OF THE AIR BAG HARDWARE ARE STUDIED, THERE IS SUFFICIENT REASON TO SUSPECT THE HONDA AIR BAG'S DETONATION RATHER THAN DEPLOYMENT WAS THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO MY SON'S INJURIES. I UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND A STATUTE OF REPOSE BUT IN THIS CASE SUSPECT A DESIGN DEFICIENCY EXISTED PRIOR TO THE CAR'S AGE EXCEEDING THE ARBITRARY 15 YR GATE.*DT*JB *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10863014
Machine
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