# 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
> NHTSA complaint `1523114` · 2018-12-12 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** Yes
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES-BENZ
- **Model:** GL550
- **Year:** 2014
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- **Miles at failure:** 33,000
## Narrative
I HAD JUST ARRIVED HOME. THE CAR WAS OFF AND I WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I OPENED THE DOOR BUT IT DIDN'T OPEN ALL THE WAY TO THE FIRST HINGE. MY HAND WAS IN THE DOOR AS IT SLOWLY STARTED TO CLOSE. THE DOOR CAUGHT SLIGHTLY AND THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE ACTIVATED. MY THUMB WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR AND WAS CRUSHED AS THE DOOR SEALED COMPLETELY CLOSED WITH THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR DURING THIS TIME. I WAS YANKING ON THE DOOR HANDLE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO FREE MY THUMB BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN UNTIL THE SOFT CLOSE WAS COMPLETE.  AS A RESULT MY THUMB WAS CRUSHED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS A DESIGN FAULT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO SENSOR TO DETECT SOMETHING IN THE DOOR AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AT ANY POINT DURING THE SELF CLOSE PROCESS PRESENTS MANY SAFETY ISSUES! I REACHED OUT TO MERCEDES DIRECTLY AND THEY SAID AFTER AN EVALUATION THAT THE VEHICLE WORKS THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED AND THAT THE DOOR COULD OPEN DURING ANYTIME OF THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE. I MADE A SHORT VIDEO SHOWING THAT IN FACT YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR DURING THE SOFT CLOSE PROCESS. MY FINGER WAS NOT BROKEN BECAUSE I CLOSED THE DOOR ON IT! THE DOOR WASN'T CLOSED ALL THE WAY, IT HAD ONLY JUST SLIGHTLY LATCHED AND WAS THEN CRUSHED BY THE SOFT CLOSE. I EXPLAINED TO MERCEDES THAT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WITH MY 3 AND 5 YEAR OLD. IF IT CRUSHED MY THUMB IT WOULD BREAK THEIR HAND!! AFTER I DISPUTED THAT YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR SOMEBODY HIGHER UP AT MERCEDES CAL
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*